At least nine flights bound for London Gatwick declared emergencies after a British Airways aircraft came to a halt on the airport's runway following its landing early on Thursday, triggering widespread disruption.
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The aircraft, operating as BA2673 from Palma de Mallorca, landed shortly after midnight and was attended by airport rescue and firefighting teams after reports of a technical fault. The airline later said the aircraft landed safely and passengers disembarked normally.
While emergency crews responded to the aircraft, Gatwick's runway remained temporarily unavailable, preventing incoming flights from landing.
Incoming flights declare emergencies amid fuel concerns
With the runway blocked, several aircraft approaching Gatwick were forced to hold or divert, prompting at least nine flights to declare emergencies by transmitting the 7700 squawk code — a general emergency signal used by pilots.
According to flight tracking data, the emergencies were likely declared because the aircraft were running low on fuel after extended holding and diversion procedures.
The affected flights had departed from destinations across Europe and North Africa, including Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Valencia, Rhodes, Athens, Rome, Bari and Agadir.
Flights diverted to Stansted and Luton
Unable to land at Gatwick, the aircraft were diverted to London Stansted and London Luton airports.
One passenger travelling from Tenerife said their flight eventually landed at Stansted instead of Gatwick.
"Still on the plane to see what's happening next. Hoping we can be flown back to Gatwick soon. It's been a much longer flight from Tenerife than usual," the passenger wrote on social media.
Airline confirms technical fault
British Airways said the aircraft that blocked the runway had landed safely and that emergency services responded as a precaution following reports of a technical issue.
"Our flight landed safely and customers disembarked normally following reports of a technical fault with the aircraft," a spokesperson said.
The airline indicated that the aircraft itself had not declared an emergency before landing.
Online speculation dismissed
As the incident unfolded, speculation circulated online that the aircraft may have suffered a landing gear failure or fuel leak. However, no official confirmation has been issued regarding the nature of the technical fault.
Aviation observers noted that the emergency declarations from the incoming flights appeared to be linked to low fuel levels caused by the prolonged disruption, rather than any mechanical issues with those aircraft.
