On Jan 10th 2026, a World2fly Airbus A330-300 was forced to abort its takeoff from Holguin, Cuba, after a dramatic chain of events that saw a tyre burst, engine damage, and flames erupt from the left side of the aircraft, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded far from home.
The aircraft, registered EC-OND, was operating flight 2W-8548 from Holguin to Prague when the takeoff roll was abruptly interrupted. As the jet accelerated down the runway, one of its tyres burst, sending debris into the left-hand engine. The impact damaged the fan blades, caused the engine to fail, and produced visible streaks of flames. The flight crew immediately rejected the takeoff and returned the aircraft safely to the apron.
In the aftermath, conflicting accounts emerged. While the airline initially stated that the rejected takeoff was due to a bird strike, passengers and the travel agency supporting the flight reported a tyre burst as the initiating event, followed by engine damage and fire. The disagreement added to the frustration of passengers, many of whom remained stranded in Cuba for days.
The travel agency confirmed that affected passengers were accommodated in hotels and announced that a replacement aircraft would arrive on Jan 13th 2026 to continue the journey to Prague. To ease the disruption, the agency also committed to paying each passenger €600 in compensation immediately upon arrival, sparing them the need to pursue claims with the airline.
A Privilege Style Airbus A330-200, registration EC-NZJ, has since arrived in Holguin and is expected to operate the recovery flight. Meanwhile, on Jan 23rd 2026, Cuba’s DOSO confirmed that the rejected takeoff occurred after the aircraft sustained significant damage to both the left main landing gear and the left-hand engine. An official investigation into the incident is now underway.
