Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Passengers Claim Pilot Leaves Plane After Loud Bang On Vueling A320

Passengers Claim Pilot Leaves Plane After Loud Bang On Vueling A320

Passengers describe a terrifying situation that was poorly handled when a Vueling aircraft cabin filled with smoke in Barcelona.

When a Vueling aircraft filled with smoke, terrified passengers were shocked to see the captain dash for the door. The plane was being readied for take-off when startled passengers heard a loud bang from the rear of the cabin, followed by a burning smell as smoke started to fill the cabin.


Definitely not a well-practiced routine


According to UK news reports, the drama happened on Thursday at Barcelona El Prat Aiport (BCN) on Vueling flight VY8754 to Birmingham Airport (BHX) in the UK. The reports, carried by The Sun, quoted passenger Andrew Benion saying, "there was this huge bang and smell of burning smoke coming from the back of the plane. All the lights went off, and the emergency lights came on - it was terrifying." He said that the cabin crew went into "melt-down," running up and down the aisle, telling passengers to keep their seat belts on and then to take them off. Benion added:

"One ran into the cockpit to tell the captain. Then as soon as a stewardess opened the front door the captain ran straight off, he was just gone. He was first off the plane. You've never seen anything like it, if we weren't so frightened it would have been complete comedy. His door opened then the side door opened and bang - he was just gone. Then all his crew ran off after him and left us all. There was only one stewardess left on the plane and you could see the fear on her face."

Vueling has an all-Airbus fleet of 125, including 101 A320-200s and 25 A320neos.


He said the lone fight attendant was screaming in Spanish for everyone to "get off," and the Spanish person next to him translated that 'the plane was on fire'.

"Obviously, we were totally panicked and were getting off the plane, and all the fire engines and ambulances were turning up. They took us into a glass reception area, all the doors were locked, and we were surrounded by police. They were acting as if there was a terrorist attack."

Not even a free drink on the way home


Benion and his wife were on their way home to Birmingham from Rome and were on the Vueling flight because their flight on British Airways, a fellow IAG airline, was canceled. Flightradar24.com data shows that flight VY8754, operated by an Airbus A320-214, registration EC-MVO, left Barcelona three hours late at 15:07 and arrived in Birmingham at 15:56.

The emergency services were seen spraying the back of the aircraft, but according to Benion, the ground staff refused to talk to passengers about what was happening. He says they were in the room for an hour before being escorted to another aircraft, which they sat on for 90 minutes as it was refueled.

"A different captain turned up on the plane and apologized but refused to go into detail. He just said, 'We apologize for the inconvenience [and] we're going to get you back to Birmingham as soon as possible'."

Apparently, the mood on the 1:49-hour flight was quite somber, with no drinks or refreshments served.

Simple Flying has reached out to Vueling, and we will update this article with any response. In the meantime, Vueling did reply to a Twitter thread:


The Benions had been on a Mediterranean cruise, which perhaps related to his reference to the captain doing "a full Costa Concordia." In 2012 the Costa Concordia ran aground off the Italian coast and began to list heavily. The captain, Francesco Schettino, dubbed Captain Coward, fled the ship in a lifeboat shortly after it started sinking and is now serving a 16-year sentence in an Italian prison.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×