ROGUE CORK LANDS PLANE

IF YOU WORK in the beverage industry you have an inherent respect for the power of the sparkling wine cork. We’ve all opened up a bottle of bubbly only to have the cork suddenly explode out. But having a plane land because of an errant cork is likely a first. An easyJet plane was recently forced to make an emergency landing after being damaged by a popping cork that smashed ceiling panels and caused oxygen masks to drop from the ceiling after a stewardess opened the bottle for a customer. The plane was halfway through a four hour flight from London Gatwick to Dalaman, Turkey, and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Italy for repairs. Corks can reach speeds of up to 28 to 4O miles an hour – serious stuff. Enough to make you think twice about ordering it on a plane?