Hats off to the ground crew members who were proactive in avoiding a disaster. I only wish ground crews here in the US were as astute.

Brian, Grapevine, Texas, USA

Mikko's reply about batteries and safety are mean and uncalled for. I use a powerchair because of a brain tumor. I have flown for medical treatments. Disabled people travel all the time. Please do not discriminate against us because an airline made a safety error. It hurts, and it's not nice.

Shannon R Gerdel, Casper, WY

Mikko and Tom: the 100ml liquid limit applies to items that are taken into the cabin, not placed in the hold - so your comments really do not apply.

Rob, Canary Wharf,

Apologies for the typo - now corrected

Steve Keenan, Times Online,

Why are the Aviation Authority advising passengers, who let the bloody thing on the plane???

Phil, London,

Airports are generally utterly useless with wheelchairs. A flight from Madrid somehow managed to crush the titanium wheel of my sister's manual (and very expensive) wheelchair. Titanium! I mean come on, they make spaceships out of the stuff, what on earth where they doing to manage that?!

Lucy, Midlands, England

A lead acid battery or gel based battery should be subject to the same 100ml fluid limits placed on mineral water and cosmetics etc. But of course a wheelchair won't get far on a battery that small so safety has to come second.

Mikko, Drumnadrochit, Scotland

This is clearly a very real threat to the day to day operation of airlines...

I feel so much safer that I'm not allowed to take more than 100ml of toothpaste though....

Keep up the good work TRANSEC, CAA and DfT

Tom, cambridge, uk

I disagree Kieran. I for one will be sleeping a lot better tonight now that mix-up has been straightened out!

Sam, Fareham,

Does it really matter what plane? Does the story have no credence due to the typo? Would it not have happened in a 747 or other, so it was important to know it was a 757?
Golly, you're all so clever for spotting the typo. In future I'll only fly non-757s, as clearly they have faulty wheelchairs...

Carlos, Basel, CH

Why do plane geeks focus on one innocuous detail? 757, 727? doesnt make a difference to the man in the street.

Kieran, kildare, ireland

I think you guys have anticipated my question - how do you get 229 people on a 727. Then I read it was a holiday jet and I withdrew the question.

Lucky outcome though. Manchester Airport's track record at dealing with fires on aircraft is not good.

lisa, perth,

Googled this, First Choice flight FCA 2662

757-200

Craig, Thornton, USA

A Boeing 727-200?? Try a Boeing 757-200, when are you reporters EVER going to report on anything aviation related correctly??

Clive Hindmarch, Hyde, UK

That airline doesn't fly 727's.

TC, Dallas TX,

Baggage handlers are noted for destroying everything they put in the hold of a plane. The worst treatment is that of our legs which is our powerchairs and yes even the manual chairs are destroyed.

Sharon, Union Grove, USA

"..... it does highlight the need for passengers to be extremely vigilant when taking items on board aircraft."....... and how about all those handlers putting the items in the hold?

I've seen my son's wheelchair been thrown into the hold before...who really needs to be educated here?

stuart , detroit, usa

A Boeing 727?

I doubt it.

Paul, Bishops Stortford,

Airlines should be very clear in their guidance to passengers who take their wheelchairs and their carers. They are not. I checked everything out very carefully with Air France yet they did not tell me about disconnecting the batteries until in Charles de Gaul Airport - we nearly missed the plane.

Lorna Ahlquist, Dunoon , Scotland