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The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Two London Gatwick flights encounter mid-air emergencies within minutes of each other
Two flights flying into London Gatwick Airport experienced mid-air emergencies within minutes of each other on Tuesday (15 July), with one flight requesting a priority landing following a suspected bird strike. British Airways flight BA2203 departed from Gatwick at 2.30pm on Tuesday 15 July for an almost 10-hour journey to Cancun, Mexico. However, this was cut short almost immediately after a strange smell took over the aircraft, which forced the pilots to make a last-minute diversion back to Gatwick. The crew onboard said a 'smell of used socks' left them feeling 'dizzy', with the mysterious smell leading to oxygen masks being deployed for passengers, according to The Sun. Shortly after takeoff, the Boeing 777 circled the East Sussex coast for around half an hour before making its way back to the airport, data from FlightRadar shows. The plane landed back at Gatwick at 3.29pm, with The Sun reporting that emergency services lined the runway to meet the plane as it came into land. British Airways told The Independent that the aircraft 'landed safely at Gatwick after our pilots identified a technical issue. 'Customers disembarked normally, and we've apologised for the disruption to their travel plans.' Passengers were provided with overnight hotel accommodation by the airline and were able to board their flight to Cancun the following morning. Within minutes of the BA incident, another flight requested priority landing. EasyJet flight EZY8520 jetted from Funchal airport, Madeira, just before midday on Tuesday. While flying into Gatwick, the pilots requested that their flight be given priority to land ahead of other scheduled planes due to a suspected bird strike. A bird strike is a collision between a bird or airborne animal and an aircraft. They can cause significant damage to aircraft, with a risk of jet engines losing power should they suck in a bird. Struck aircraft will often need to abort their take-off or landing attempts, which can be costly for airlines and their passengers. An easyJet spokesperson told The Independent that 'the aircraft landed normally and was met by emergency services in line with procedures, purely as a precaution. 'The safety of our customers and crew is easyJet's highest priority, and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers' guidelines.'
Metro
02-07-2025
- Metro
EasyJet flight to Turkey diverted back to UK airport after 'passenger issue'
An easyJet flight to Turkey had to be diverted back to the airport after a 'passenger issue' on board. The plane took off from Manchester Airport bound for Izmir in Turkey shortly before 5pm on Monday. But it only got as far as Norfolk before having to suddenly double back. Images of the service's FlightRadar map shows the aircraft making a huge U-turn over the North Sea and landing back in Manchester around an hour after take-off. The airline confirmed flight EZY2159 had been diverted due to a 'passenger welfare issue'. It apologised for the disturbance, which it called 'an extraordinary circumstance' that was 'out of our control'. Further details about the nature of the incident have not been confirmed. More Trending Metro has contacted easyJet for comment. An update on Tuesday night read: 'We're sorry that your flight has been delayed overnight. This is due to a passenger welfare issue. 'We are working hard to arrange your new flight for tomorrow. Once again, we're very sorry for the disruption to your travel plans.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Free hand luggage is not the win you think it is MORE: All the food and drink banned on EasyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 and TUI flights MORE: Spain EasyJet strikes could see 40 flights cancelled per day — what to do if your holiday's affected
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Sydney Airport flights cancelled today as travel chaos strikes following bomb cyclone
The wild weather has sparked a second consecutive day of travel chaos at Sydney Airport. Dozens of domestic and international flights have already been impacted with more cancellations and delays expected. At least 87 flights have so far been cancelled on Wednesday, according to FlightRadar The airport is operating under a Level 4 'significant' delay status. 'Sydney Airport is working closely with airlines and Airservices Australia to manage the impact of these challenging conditions and we thank everyone for their patience and understanding,' a spokesperson said.
Wales Online
01-07-2025
- Wales Online
EasyJet flight from UK forced to divert back to airport after 'extraordinary circumstance'
EasyJet flight from UK forced to divert back to airport after 'extraordinary circumstance' The easyJet flight and was bound for Izmir, Turkey, but was forced to turn around an hour after take-off Passenger aircraft, operated by EasyJet Plc, queue to take-off at London Luton Airport in Luton, U.K., (Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images ) An easyJet plane had to return to a UK airport following an "extraordinary circumstance" which the airline described as "out of our control." The EZY2159 flight destined for Izmir, Turkey, had departed from Manchester Airport just before 5pm on Monday but reached only as far as Norfolk when it abruptly turned back towards Manchester. The FlightRadar map captured the moment the aircraft executed a sharp U-turn over the North Sea and touched down in Manchester again at approximately 5.50pm, about an hour after take-off. EasyJet attributed the diversion to a "passenger welfare issue", labelling the event as "out of our control" and an "extraordinary circumstance". An announcement on the easyJet website informed that the flight would be grounded overnight, with arrangements for a subsequent service scheduled for Tuesday morning. The specifics of the incident have not been disclosed. A later update at 9pm said: "We're sorry that your flight has been delayed overnight. This is due to a passenger welfare issue. We are working hard to arrange your new flight for tomorrow. Once again, we're very sorry for the disruption to your travel plans." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here The Mirror has contacted easyJet for comment. This incident occurs amidst reports that numerous UK holidaymakers are opting for destinations in North Africa over traditional European vacation spots, according to travel firms. Article continues below EasyJet flight forced to divert back to UK airport after 'extraordinary circumstance' (Image: flightradar24 ) Experts suggest that the allure of high-quality hotels at a fraction of the cost compared to similar establishments in Spain, France and Italy is drawing an increasing number of holidaymakers to North Africa. Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia are all seeing a surge in visitors from the UK. Data from aviation analysts Cirium indicates that 19,847 flights are expected to operate routes from UK airports to these countries this year, more than double the 8,653 flights recorded in 2019. In contrast, flights to Spain and Portugal are predicted to see a modest increase of 10% and 9% respectively over the same period. This trend implies that many travellers seeking superior accommodation without the hefty price tag are willing to endure longer flights, despite budget airlines like easyJet and Ryanair offering non-reclining seats and lacking onboard entertainment. For instance, flights from Gatwick airport in West Sussex to Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh take approximately five hours and 20 minutes. This equates to an additional hour and 45 minutes in the air compared to journeys to the popular southern Spanish destination of Alicante. In March, easyJet introduced flights between Gatwick and Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa, marking its longest route serving England. These flights span 2,332 nautical miles and take six hours and 10 minutes. Travel firm Tui reported that bookings for summer holidays in Egypt, both flight-only and package deals, have seen a 30% increase compared to last year. The travel giant Tui has hailed a surge in bookings for destinations like Tunisia and Morocco, citing "double-digit growth" for the former and robust interest for the latter. Chris Logan, Tui's UK commercial director, lauded these North African hotspots for their "fantastic value for money", making them formidable rivals against traditional European holiday spots. Speaking to PA, Logan said: "There's good quality accommodation and great weather beyond the traditional summer season." Article continues below He added: "Even in the winter months temperatures are mild, making them a perfect choice for year-round travel."
Daily Record
01-07-2025
- Daily Record
EasyJet flight diverts back to UK airport in 'extraordinary circumstance'
The flight changed direction over the North Sea after being in the air for just half an hour. An easyJet flight was forced to divert back to a UK airport after an "extraordinary circumstance" the airline firm said was "out of our control". The EZY2159 service bound for Izmir, Turkey, took off from Manchester Airport shortly before 5pm yesterday, June 30, and only got as far as Norfolk before suddenly diverting back to Manchester. A FlightRadar map showed the moment the flight changed direction over the North Sea before landing in Manchester again at around 5.50pm - roughly an hour after it departed. The airline said the diversion was due to to a "passenger welfare issue". The disruption, easyJet said, was "out of our control" and considered "an extraordinary circumstance". In an update posted to the easyJet website, the budget airline said the plane was grounded overnight, with plans being made for another service to run this morning, reports the Mirror. Specific details about the nature of the incident have not been released so far. A further update at 9pm read: "We're sorry that your flight has been delayed overnight. This is due to a passenger welfare issue. We are working hard to arrange your new flight for tomorrow. Once again, we're very sorry for the disruption to your travel plans." Easyjet has been approached for comment. It comes after it was revealed that thousands of UK holidaymakers are ditching traditional European hotspots in favour of north Africa, travel companies have reported. Experts say many people are being drawn to the region by its wide availability of high-quality hotels costing considerably less than similar properties in European locations such as Spain, France and Italy. North African countries Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia are all experiencing a surge in visitors from the UK. Figures from aviation analysts Cirium show 19,847 flights are projected to serve routes from UK airports to those nations this year, more than twice as many as the 8,653 that travelled there in 2019. By comparison, the number of flights to Spain and Portugal is forecast to rise by just 10 per cent and 9 per cent respectively over the same period. This suggests many holidaymakers who want better quality accommodation without paying more are prepared to travel a longer flight, despite airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair having seats that do not recline and no onboard entertainment. Flights from Gatwick airport, West Sussex, to Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh take around five hours and 20 minutes. That means the flight lasting an extra hour and 45 minutes compared with trips to the traditional southern Spanish hotspot of Alicante. EasyJet launched new flights between Gatwick and Cape Verde, off the coast of west Africa, in March, which is its longest route serving England. The flights take six hours and 10 minutes and cover the distance of 2,332 nautical miles. Travel company Tui said bookings from flight-only and package holiday customers for summer breaks in Egypt are 30% higher compared with a year ago. It also reported 'double-digit growth' for Tunisia and strong demand for Morocco. Tui's UK commercial director Chris Logan said these three destinations offer 'fantastic value for money', meaning traditional European destinations find it 'hard to compete'. He told the PA news agency: 'There's good accommodation and great weather beyond the traditional summer season. 'Even in the winter months temperatures are mild, making them a perfect choice for year-round travel.' Tui has increased its flights from the UK to north Africa this summer to meet growing demand, with new routes from Stansted to Enfidha in Tunisia and from Newcastle to Agadir, Morocco. Online accommodation marketplace said it recorded a 68 per cent increase in the number of searches for summer breaks in Tunisia during the first five months of this year, compared with the same period in 2024. Egypt and Morocco saw rises of 64 per cent and 39 per cent respectively. Nicki Tempest-Mitchell, managing director at travel agency Barrhead Travel, said Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia offer 'incredible value for money' which is 'proving increasingly attractive for holidaymakers this year'. She added: 'The investment in high-quality hotels and experiences across these regions is turning the heads of customers who may previously have favoured mainland Europe. 'Although favourites such as Spain and Turkey are still our top-selling destinations, it's safe to say north Africa is a region to watch over the next few years.' Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said there is a 'clear trend toward value-conscious holiday planning'. She went on: 'Ongoing cost of living pressures and squeezed disposable incomes have meant that while people remain committed to taking holidays, they're increasingly focused on maximising value for money. 'This shift has driven growing popularity for destinations like Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia, which offer more competitive pricing and high-quality accommodation options compared to the more traditional western Mediterranean resorts.'
