California-bound JetBlue flight aborts takeoff at New York airport over fire reports, technical glitch

A California-bound JetBlue flight had to cancel its takeoff from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport runway on Saturday after a fire was reported on board, the New York Post reported.

The aircraft was preparing for departure around 8:30 pm when the crew apprised the control tower of the flames, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was quoted as saying by the New York Post.

All 180 passengers were evacuated so fire officials could extinguish the reported flames, and potential technical glitches could be averted.

A false online report circulated, claiming a plane had veered off a runway and caught fire.

Upon the swift arrival of the New York City Fire Department, it was determined that no action was necessary as the aircraft was safe, with no fire. The FAA attributed the incident to an “engine problem” without further details.

Passengers safely left the plane without injuries. JetBlue’s maintenance team fixed the issue, and the flight departed five hours later than planned, at 12:10 am, as per Flight Aware data.

The misinterpretation of a mechanical problem as a fire threat remains unclear, as JetBlue did not respond to inquiries. The FAA is currently investigating this incident, coinciding with ongoing probes into issues with 737 planes, both in the US and internationally, including incidents like a panel falling off an Alaska Airlines jet.