KUALA LUMPUR- Malaysia Airlines (MH) pilots demonstrated exceptional flying skills during a challenging landing at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) amid Storm Darragh, earning widespread applause from aviation enthusiasts and social media users.

A video captured by aviation spotter channel Big Jet TV showed the remarkable precision of the Airbus A350-900 flight crew in dealing with strong crosswinds.

Malaysia Airlines A350 pilots praised

The pilots performed a complex flight maneuver known as “crabbing,” which involves positioning the aircraft diagonally with its nose pointing into the wind while maintaining a forward trajectory toward the runway. This advanced technology allows pilots to counteract strong crosswinds and ensure a safe approach.

Social media platforms erupted with praise for the Malaysia Airlines crew. Fans on the True Malaysia Airlines Fans Facebook group shared enthusiastic comments highlighting the pilots’ expertise. Commentators such as Azreen Aznan described the pilots as “magnificent”, while Wai Long Mok praised the “amazing flying” and “great crab fishing” displayed during the landing.

The video captured the intense moment of the approach, with the aircraft maintaining a steady cruise despite turbulent conditions. The flight observer who recorded the landing was visibly impressed by the pilots’ skill and audibly expressed his awe at the precise navigation.

This incident is not an isolated example of Malaysia Airlines pilots’ ability to navigate difficult weather conditions. The airline has previously received recognition for its pilots’ ability to handle adverse weather scenarios with exceptional skill and precision.

Also read: Thai pilots protest against foreign pilots flying domestic flights and salary breakdown

Storm Darragh affected travel

Severe weather has caused widespread disruption to air travel across the UK and resulted in hundreds of flights being canceled or diverted. The storm’s impact has created significant challenges for airlines and passengers flying through major international airports.

There were significant flight disruptions at Heathrow Airport, the UK’s busiest international aviation hub. Several international airlines, including Delta, American Airlines and Air Canada, were forced to reroute transatlantic flights to alternative destinations such as Brussels. These diversions presented logistical challenges for airlines and passengers.

British Airways has canceled over 100 domestic and European short-haul flights. Routes disrupted included key services to Edinburgh, Jersey, Milan, Nice and Vienna. Holiday destinations such as Malaga, Larnaca and Gibraltar also experienced significant ground stoppages.

International airlines outside of British Airways faced similar operational difficulties. Lufthansa suspended flights to and from Frankfurt and Munich, while KLM suspended flights from Amsterdam. Aer Lingus has comprehensively suspended services from Cork, Dublin, Knock and Shannon to Heathrow.

A particularly vivid example of the storm’s impact was an Etihad Boeing 777 flight from Abu Dhabi. The plane circled for an hour before eventually being diverted to Frankfurt and scheduled to fly on to Manchester later in the day.

Disruption across the UK

George Best Belfast City Airport experienced at least 30 flight cancellations on routes to and from key destinations such as Cardiff, London Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

At Belfast International Airport, easyJet canceled flights between Bristol and Liverpool. The disruption also extended to Bristol Airport, where a Ryanair flight from Venice was diverted to London Stansted and a KLM flight from Amsterdam was diverted to Birmingham. EasyJet suspended around two dozen flights, impacting routes to Barcelona, ​​Porto and Geneva.

The airline communicated directly with passengers and cited the UK government’s guidelines to avoid travel within the Bristol region on December 7 as the main reason for the flight suspensions. This directive highlights the severity of meteorological conditions affecting transport infrastructure.

Cardiff Airport also faced significant operational challenges as a cargo plane from China was diverted to Bournemouth. Despite the widespread disruption, operations continued in some limited capacity, with Ryanair maintaining a flight from Dublin and Tui maintaining a flight from Alicante.

There have been significant disruptions to cross-border routes, particularly between the UK and Ireland. Aer Lingus experienced significant complications on flights from Cork and Shannon to Heathrow, further highlighting the storm’s far-reaching impact on international air travel.

Feature image by Clément Alloing | Flickr

Stay up to date with us. Also, follow us on social media for the latest updates.

Join us on Telegram Group for the latest Aviation updates. Then follow us on Google News