A domestic flight operated by Qantas was diverted to Adelaide Airport late Friday night after passengers and crew reported a strong, unusual smell inside the aircraft.

According to 9News Australia, the plane, which was travelling from Canberra to Perth, landed safely at about 11:40 pm, slightly past the city’s curfew, with paramedics already on standby to respond to the situation. Emergency services assessed around 15 people on board for possible carbon monoxide exposure after concerns were raised about the nature of the smell. However, all those examined were later cleared, with no serious health issues reported, 9News Australia reported.

Passengers said the crew attempted to identify the source of the smell during the flight by shutting down systems, but were unable to locate its origin. As a precaution, the decision was made to divert the aircraft to ensure passenger safety.

The unexpected landing disrupted travel plans, leaving many passengers stranded overnight in Adelaide. Due to limited accommodation availability linked to the ongoing AFL Gather Round, some travellers were forced to spend the night at the airport lounge before continuing their journey the following morning.

Engineers from Qantas inspected the aircraft overnight. The airline later confirmed that the plane was returned to service and had resumed operations the next day. The airline has since apologised to affected passengers for the inconvenience caused by the incident, maintaining that safety remains its top priority.