Jan 10th 2026 : A World2Fly Airbus A330-300 was forced to reject takeoff at Holguín after suffering a serious technical event during the takeoff roll, leaving passengers stranded in Cuba for several days.
The aircraft, registered EC-OND, was operating flight 2W-8548 from Holguín (Cuba) to Prague (Czech Republic). While accelerating for takeoff, one of the aircraft’s tyres burst, and debris was ingested by the left-hand engine. Witnesses reported that the engine subsequently failed and emitted visible streaks of flames.
The flight crew rejected the takeoff and safely brought the aircraft to a stop before returning to the apron. Emergency procedures were carried out and passengers disembarked without injury.
World2Fly initially stated that the rejected takeoff was the result of a bird strike. However, passengers and the travel agency involved disputed this explanation, reporting that the event began with a tyre burst, followed by engine damage due to debris ingestion, including damage to the engine’s fan blades, and a brief engine fire.
According to these accounts, the engine failure occurred as a direct consequence of the tyre burst rather than a wildlife strike.
As a result of the incident, passengers remained stranded in Holguín for several days. The travel agency confirmed that affected passengers were accommodated in hotels while awaiting a replacement aircraft.
The agency reported that a replacement Airbus A330-200 operated by Privilege Style, registered EC-NZJ, has since arrived in Holguín and is expected to resume the flight to Prague. The replacement flight was planned for 13 January 2026.
In an effort to reduce passenger inconvenience, the travel agency also announced that each passenger will receive €600 in compensation, to be paid immediately upon arrival in Prague, removing the need for passengers to pursue compensation claims directly with the airline.
The occurrence aircraft EC-OND remains grounded in Holguín pending technical inspection and repairs. The exact extent of the damage to the left engine and landing gear components has not yet been formally disclosed.
No injuries were reported, and the incident is expected to be reviewed by the relevant aviation authorities to determine the precise cause of the tyre failure and subsequent engine damage.
