Passenger Notices Screws Missing From Plane's Wing On NYC-Bound Flight

QUEENS, NY — A flight from Manchester, England to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City was canceled at the last minute last week after a passenger noticed that multiple screws were missing from the wing of the plane, according to multiple reports which cite Virgin Atlantic.

Though airline representatives emphasized that the panel missing the screws was simply used "to improve the aerodynamic performance of the aircraft," the Jan. 15 flight was canceled to allow time for additional inspection, The Independent reported.

"Each of these panels has 119 fasteners, so there was no impact to the structural integrity or load capability of the wing, and the aircraft was safe to operate," an airline representative added to The New York Post.

Passenger Phil Hardy, 41, said he noticed the four missing fasteners during a safety briefing for passengers, according to The New York Post.

"I’m a good flyer, but my partner was not loving the information I was telling her and starting to panic, and I was trying to put her mind at rest as much as I could," Hardy said, according to the outlet. "I thought it was best to mention it to a flight attendant to be on the safe side."

Passengers were flown to John F. Kennedy International Airport on different flights, The New York Post reported.

"The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority and this was not compromised at any point," the airline representative added, according to The New York Post. "We always work well above industry safety standards and the aircraft is now back in service."