The Embraer ERJ-195 Portugália aircraft, operating on behalf of TAP Portugal’s Tap Express service, was, according to website Aviation Herald, in the initial climb out of Lisbon’s runway 21 when the crew declared PAN PAN, reporting they had a smoke problem on board.
Wikipedia explains “the radiotelephony message PAN-PAN is the international standard urgency signal that someone aboard a boat, ship, aircraft, or other vehicle uses to declare that they have a situation that is urgent but, for the time being at least, does not pose an immediate danger to anyone’s life or to the vessel itself”.
According to the aviation site, the aircraft stopped the climb at 5,000 feet and returned to runway 21 for a safe landing about 25 minutes after departure.
The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 12 hours after landing.
In related news, TAP has scaled back its TAP Express service due to financial constraints, airport constrictions, and difficulties in recruiting cabin crew.
The national flag-carrier has suspended its flights to some parts of Spain, namely Vigo, Corunha and Oviedo, citing lower profitability and difficulties in recruiting cabin crew.
The routes, operated by airline White on behalf of TAP Express, will cease to operate from the 28th of this month.
The airline said the decision to suspend the operations also took into account the aviation winter calendar and congestion at Lisbon airport.