NEWS Inaugural Virgin Atlantic flight cancelled due to foam canon salute instead of water

A packed Virgin Atlantic passenger jet was grounded shortly before its high-profile inaugural flight to Atlanta after a botched ‘water cannon salute’ by airport fire tenders clogged up its engines by spraying thick foam instead of water.

Some 252 departing passengers hoping to enjoy an on-time departure at 10.35am instead faced a five hour delay before finally being told the flight would have to be cancelled altogether. They are being put up at hotels overnight and told to report for a replacement flight at 9.30am Tuesday.