Plane reportedly carrying Manchester City staff evacuated on runway

Manchester City's trip to Bucharest, Romania reportedly got off to a troubling start.

A plane was evacuated on the runway at Manchester Airport on Monday, and, according to the Guardian, City staff including Mike Summerbee, who is a club ambassador and formerly played for the Citizens, were aboard the flight along with sponsors and travelling journalists.

The flight was apparently scheduled to take off at 10:30 a.m. local time and was around 60-percent full, when a smoke-like haze was seen in the cabin. One of the cabin crew's members allegedly shouted at passengers, saying: "Leave your stuff and go, go, go."

Also on the plane was Daniel Taylor, a chief football writer for the Guardian and Observer.

"After reports of an air conditioning fault, passengers on the Carpatair charter flight to Bucharest were disembarked back to the terminal as a precaution," a statement from Manchester Airport read.

City and Steaua Bucuresti were drawn together in the Champions League's play-offs, with the first leg going Wednesday at Arena Nationala. The club from Romania won the 1985-86 European Cup, defeating Barcelona on penalty kicks in the final.