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A Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flight narrowly avoided a major incident at Brussels Airport after a serious ground navigation error during departure. The incident occurred on Thursday, February 5, 2026, and involved SAS flight SK2590, which was scheduled to operate from Brussels Airport (BRU) to Copenhagen Airport (CPH). The aircraft began accelerating for takeoff on a taxiway instead of the assigned runway before the pilots recognized the mistake and brought the aircraft to a stop. None of the 135 passengers and crew onboard were injured.
The short-haul flight, covering roughly 470 miles (750 km), was planned to be operated by an Airbus A320neo registered as SE-ROM. At this time, the incident itself is considered unrelated to weather or airport congestion. Aviation safety authorities are now reviewing how a routine departure clearance progressed into a high-speed rejected takeoff on an incorrect surface. The event is being treated as a serious runway safety incident.
Presumed Ground Navigation Error Leads To Taxiway Takeoff Attempt
According to media reports and available tracking data, SAS Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A320neo, registered as SE-ROM, operating flight SK-2590 from Brussels, Belgium, to Copenhagen, Denmark, was taxiing via the outer taxiway (Out-10) and had been cleared for takeoff from runway 07R. However, at approximately 22:03 local time (21:03 UTC), the aircraft mistakenly lined up on the parallel taxiway E1 rather than the runway and began its takeoff roll along taxiways E1, F2, and V1. As the taxiway narrowed, the flight crew rejected the takeoff at high speed, estimated at around 107 knots, and brought the aircraft to a stop at the V1/C1 taxiway intersection, close to fuel tanks and partially off the paved surface
Authorities confirmed that the aircraft had initiated takeoff on a taxiway instead of the designated runway. Emergency services were deployed as a precaution, and the aircraft came to a halt near, but not beyond, the airport’s fuel tank area. All passengers safely disembarked onto the taxiway and were transported by bus back to the terminal. No injuries were reported, the flight was canceled, passengers were rebooked on alternative services, and an investigation into the incident has been launched. SAS made the following comment:
“We are currently conducting a thorough internal investigation alongside local authorities to understand the sequence of events.”
High-Speed Rejected Takeoff Prevents Runway Excursion
Runways and taxiways are deliberately differentiated through lighting, markings, and surface dimensions. Runways feature white centerline markings, numerical designators, and high-intensity white lighting, while taxiways use yellow markings with blue edge lights. Despite these visual cues, parallel taxiways can sometimes create alignment challenges, particularly when aircraft are cleared for mid-runway departures.
Investigators will review whether cockpit workload, expectation bias, airport geometry, or any other factors played a role in the crew’s presumed misidentification of the taxiway. They are also likely to check technical aspects of the aircraft, to see if that played any factor in the incident. Air traffic control instructions were reportedly correct, shifting the focus toward flight-deck verification procedures during the lineup.
Data indicates the aircraft continued accelerating for a considerable time before braking, classifying the event as a high-speed rejected takeoff rather than a routine taxi correction. At speeds exceeding 100 knots, rejected takeoffs place extreme stress on braking systems and significantly reduce safety margins, especially when occurring outside a certified runway environment.
SAS Uses Starlink To Host eSports: What’s Next For Aviation’s Fast, Free WiFi?
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) made headlines yesterday with a promotional event on board an Airbus A320 ‘flight to nowhere.’ As reported by Head For Points, 80 invited guests were on a circular flight from Copenhagen that was specifically designed to stress-test the jet’s new fast and free Starlink WiFi. This culminated in two Danish eSports professionals defeating two ground-based teammates in a Counter-Strike match using the high-speed connectivity. This begs the question of what else could be done with this technology.
While I’m personally not all that fussed about inflight WiFi, as it’s nice to get away from everything for a few hours and pick from an airline’s selection of entertainment rather than streaming your own content, Starlink’s performance is certainly impressive. With this in mind, I could see widebody operators converting bar space into airborne business rooms to allow those who do need to make calls inflight do so in a fast and private manner. What do you think? Is fast
Emergency Response, Passenger Evacuation, And Investigation
Although taxiway takeoff attempts are rare, they are considered high-risk events due to limited stopping distances, reduced pavement strength, and the proximity of obstacles and infrastructure. In this case, the aircraft came to a halt only shortly before the taxiway ended, underscoring how little margin for error existed and how critical the timely rejected takeoff decision was.
Similar incidents in the past have led to changes in airport signage and lighting, enhanced cockpit callouts on some aircraft, and stricter pre-takeoff runway verification procedures aimed at reducing the risk of surface navigation errors. Safety experts emphasize that a significant proportion of serious aviation incidents occur on the ground, where high aircraft weights, accelerating speeds, and human factors can combine rapidly.
While operations at Brussels Airport were not significantly disrupted by the incident, the findings of the ongoing investigation may influence future airline training practices and contribute to further improvements in airport surface-movement safety standards.
