Scary Moments Over Palma: Go-Around by Eurowings Flight Sparks Excitement

A Brief Scare, a Clear Announcement: Why the Plane Pulled Up Again

A go-around, a sudden abort of a landing – that can make hearts race. This is how travelers on a Eurowings flight from Dresden experienced it on the evening of October 13, as the aircraft just before Palma pushed the thrust and climbed again. I spoke with a passenger in row 22A who said: "We could already see the lights, then everything suddenly went up."

The mood aboard fluctuated briefly between puzzlement and relief. A young boy asked loudly: "Why are we climbing again?" – and a flight attendant immediately took to the microphone, remained calm and explained in casual but firm words: It is a routine decision and everything is fine. This was visibly reassuring.

What the data shows

From publicly accessible flight-tracking data, it is evident that on the first approach the aircraft did not land, but turned east and flew a loop over the center of the island. After a few minutes the pilots lined up the approach again and landed safely later in Palma. The reason: the aircraft in front of them was apparently delayed, so the required safety distance could no longer be maintained. A classic case of a so-called go-around maneuver – annoying for passengers, but a standard procedure in aviation.

No indication of technical fault or weather as the trigger

Contrary to initial assumptions, the weather this time was not the primary cause. While there had been heavy showers and storms in parts of the island in the days prior, in this particular case the captain explained that the spacing to the aircraft ahead necessitated the go-around. An airline statement has not yet been released.

Such maneuvers are uncomfortable for most passengers, but they are intended to reduce risk. The crew acted by the book, remained communicative and brought the aircraft safely to the ground. For those waiting at the airport for arrivals, the detour was hardly noticeable – for those on board it was definitely a topic of conversation for the rest of the evening.

If the airline issues an official statement, I will follow up. Until then: stay calm, trust the crew and when in doubt, better to go around again than take a risk.