Terrified passengers sob, vomit as plane aborts 2 landings at notorious mountain-top airport

Avianca Airlines flight AV9401 aborted two landings at Pasto’s Antonio Nariño Airport, a high-altitude Andes airport, causing terrified passengers to scream and vomit as strong winds and fog buffeted the Airbus A320 on approach. The city sits at 5,951 feet above sea level, and the aircraft ultimately returned to Bogotá to await improved conditions, then attempted a final approach and landed in Pasto around 2:37 local time. There were no injuries reported. Avianca stated that weather conditions at the airport did not meet safety standards, and pilots followed standard safety protocols when conditions were unsafe. The airport’s altitude and surrounding peaks make approaches notoriously challenging.