A flight being operated by easyJet airlines has been diverted after declaring a mid-flight emergency. The flight, bound for Manchester Airport (MAN), was forced to make an emergency diversion to London Gatwick Airport (LGW) following the aircraft’s loss of hydraulic fluid. This is the second incident this week in which an easyJet aircraft has experienced a technical fault that has resulted in the need for an emergency diversion.
Squawk 7700 Issued Following Technical Failure
Manchester-bound flight U22014 departed from Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport (ALC) in Spain at around 9.10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26 when it experienced a mid-flight emergency.
The aircraft, an Airbus A320, had climbed to its cruising altitude of 34,000 feet and had been travelling towards the UK airport for around 90 minutes when crew detected the failure. It is believed the aircraft experienced an issue with its hydraulic system.
Flight crew immediately issued the universally recognised transponder code Squawk 7700, which is understood by air traffic control (ATC) to indicate a general in-flight emergency. The plane’s pilots redirected the plane towards London airspace, requesting an immediate diversion to London Gatwick Airport (LGW).
Due to the potential consequences of a loss of hydraulic fluid on an aircraft, such as affects to nose-wheel steering and braking efficiency, ATC were advised of potential runway blockages if the aircraft became unable to taxi under its own power. Ground staff at LGW were also advised that the aircraft may require assistance after landing.
The diverted aircraft safely touched down at Gatwick at 11.34 a.m. where emergency response vehicles met the plane on the taxiway. After safety inspections by the airport’s fire services had been conducted, the aircraft was cleared to taxi to a remote stand on its own power for further servicing.
easyJet confirmed the incident had been caused by a technical issue and stated a replacement aircraft was promptly arranged to transport passengers onwards to Manchester Airport (MAN), their original destination.
easyJet’s Second Incident in Days
This latest incident is the second to affect easyJet airlines’ fleet in recent days, following an earlier technical issue that forced one of the airline’s aircraft to declare an emergency above the North Sea and return to Manchester.
On Wednesday, Sept. 23, flight EZY32GY was scheduled to fly from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Hamburg Airport (HAM) when it experienced a technical fault around 30 minutes after departing Manchester.
The plane’s crew similarly issued a Squawk 7700 to inform ATC of the fault. The flight was then forced to make a total U-turn after being diverted back to Manchester Airport (MAN), where it safely touched down.
An easyJet spokesperson made the following comments after the incident:
“Flight EZY2195 from Manchester to Hamburg this evening returned to Manchester due to a technical issue with the aircraft. The aircraft was met by emergency services as a precaution only and customers disembarked normally […] We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused and did everything possible to minimise the impact of the delay.”
The spokesperson also emphasised that easyJet did everything to ensure passenger safety:
“The safety of its passengers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers’ guidelines.”
What do you think of the latest easyJet incidents? Have you ever had a flight diverted to another airport? Let us know in the comments below.
