On Thursday evening, a serious incident occurred at Brussels Airport involving a Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flight bound for Copenhagen. The aircraft attempted to take off from a taxiway rather than the designated runway, leading to a potentially dangerous situation. The incident took place at 22:03 local time under dark conditions, as the flight was already significantly behind schedule. Passengers were reportedly hurrying to board the plane, which may have contributed to the urgency of the situation.

The pilots of the Airbus A320neo reached a speed of 107 knots, approximately 198 kilometers per hour, before realizing their error and initiating an emergency stop. This threshold speed is typically associated with takeoff, and the act of entering the taxiway at such a velocity suggests a grave oversight in adhering to standard operating procedures. Fortunately, the pilots recognized the mistake in time to avert what could have been a catastrophic incident.

This incident raises critical concerns regarding flight safety protocols, especially during busy travel times when airlines may feel pressure to adhere to tight schedules. It highlights the importance of maintaining stringent procedural compliance to ensure the safety of passengers and crew alike. Investigations will likely focus on how such an error could occur and what measures will be implemented to prevent future occurrences.