Plane passenger horrified after spotting 'gaffer tape' on wing during flight

11 February 2024 , 10:46

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A passenger on board a flight was left horrified when he looked out of the window (Image: David Parker / SWNS)

A passenger on board a flight was left horrified when he looked out of the window and spotted "gaffer tap" plugging holes on the aircraft's wing.

David Parker, 62, was on his way to Goa from Manchester on February 5 with his fiancée when he saw patches of the silver tape, which caused alarm bells to ring. An experienced flyer, he was taken aback - and said he had never seen anything like it before.

However, aviation company Boeing - which manufactures the 787 he was flying on - has since clarified the material was "speed tape" - which is perfectly safe. A spokesperson said the tape is used as a temporary fix, and does not compromise the structural integrity of the aircraft.

Speaking of his horror David,, who runs an estate agent business, said: "I was very surprised to see a patchwork of gaffer tape all over the wing halfway through the flight. Then it began peeling off mid flight, I thought what the hell!?" I've flown all around the world, but never seen anything like that before. I pointed it out to my missus - she just said 'I wish you hadn't shown me that'."

Boeing has since clarified the material was 'speed tape' used to help with 'paint adhesion' (David Parker / SWNS)

And Boeing said the taper was used to fix "paint adhesion issues" which has been found on some its 787 fleet. A statement said: "We understand the importance of a pristine appearance for our products and continue to work with our customers to address this. A new black topcoat layer that would be applied between the composite and existing coating system is now available to 787 operators for in-service airplanes.

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"We are also working to certify the new layer to be applied to airplanes as part of the production process. Our recommended interim solutions include the use of a temporary speed tape repair, or local paint restoration and touch-up, or stripping and repainting the airplane.

"Speed tape is an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved material for some temporary fixes. The airplane’s structural integrity remains intact, and this has been determined to not be a safety of flight issue."

Joseph Gamp