Manchester United Plane Aborted Landing Due to Complications on Runway

Manchester United players suffered a scare in Germany on Tuesday when their plane was forced to abandon landing due to another aircraft being on the runway.     

The Telegraph's Mark Ogden provides the details:

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Manchester United were involved in a mid-air drama in Germany on Tuesday night with the chartered plane carrying the team forced to abort its landing just 400 metres above the runway at Cologne’s Konrad Adenauer Airport.

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With the Monarch Airlines A321, flight number MON 9254, scheduled to touch down at 5.30pm local time, the pilot was forced to abandon his landing due to another aircraft being on the runway. The plane circled the airport before landing 10 minutes late at 5.40pm.

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Veteran centre-back Rio Ferdinand took to Twitter to give his thoughts about the complicated landing: 

Ogden's report states that one of the passengers on the plane called the experience "very frightening," but the crew was able to calm everyone down.    

These types of things happen, and pilots are undoubtedly well-trained to handle themselves in these exact situations. But that likely doesn't make it any less unsettling for those who were aboard the plane. Getting so close to the ground and suddenly being forced to abort the landing is, at best, unnerving. 

As such, it's good to see that nothing went wrong and everyone is OK. 

Now, the United players and coaching staff must focus their attention on the pitch. 

The Red Devils, of course, are in Germany for their Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday. 

David Moyes' group is currently at the top of Group A with eight points, but the talented Bundesliga squad is in the midst of a fantastic season and is just one point behind.

While United won the first meeting, 4-2, at Old Trafford over two months ago, this fixture is crucial for each squad's hopes of advancing to the knockout stages.