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Flight 38 took off from Beijing International Airport with 136 passengers and 16 crew members onboard, embarking on a 12-hour journey covering 8,000 kilometers to London. The cockpit was manned by three experienced pilots: Captain Peter Burkel, Senior First Officer John Coward, and First Officer Conor McGenis, each contributing a wealth of experience to the team. As the aircraft departed, it was equipped with 79,000 kilograms of fuel and prepared to ascend to cruising altitude while contending with an unusually cold air mass.