An international AirAsia flight made an emergency landing in Brisbane early Monday after a cabin pressure warning alarm sounded mid-air. The pilot issued a PAN-PAN call for flight D7221 from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, just before midnight on Sunday.
The Airbus A330-343 was seen on flight radar making a sharp U-turn over central Queensland before descending from about 34,000 feet to 10,000 feet. AirAsia confirmed the crew observed an alert related to cabin pressure soon after takeoff, but noted the pressure remained at a safe level.
The airline stated the captain chose to make a precautionary diversion to Brisbane airport in line with established safety procedures. Witnesses reported seeing support vehicles and firefighting trucks on the tarmac as the plane landed. Brisbane Airport confirmed the aircraft made a normal and safe landing.
All 142 passengers and 11 crew were accommodated in hotels and provided with food vouchers while travel arrangements are being made. The aircraft is scheduled for a detailed engineering assessment on Monday, with the flight expected to depart for Kuala Lumpur around 7pm that evening.
