A British Airways flight heading to Faro, Portugal, made a sudden U-turn less than an hour into its journey on October 13. The aircraft, Flight 2660, was traveling from London Gatwick Airport when it reversed course over France and returned to London.
According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the flight crew transmitted a 7700 emergency code, which is a universal code used to alert air traffic controllers to an emergency. The code itself does not specify the nature of the problem, but rather alerts controllers to the fact that an issue has arisen.
A British Airways spokesperson stated that the aircraft diverted due to a "minor technical issue" and landed safely back at London Gatwick. The spokesperson added that the airline has apologized to customers for the delay and is working to get their travel plans back on track.
Aviation safety expert Steven Arroyo noted that a cracked window can be a serious issue, but the severity depends on where the damage is located. He explained that if the crack is in a critical area, it could affect the aircraft's ability to maintain cabin pressure. However, in this case, the flight crew opted to return to Gatwick as a precaution.
Arroyo also advised passengers to report any window damage to the flight attendants, as this information can be helpful to the crew in determining the best course of action.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
View original reporting →
