A British Airways flight from Dublin to London Heathrow declared an emergency while flying over the UK on Tuesday morning after experiencing what the airline described as a “minor technical issue”.
Flight BA825 was flying near Liverpool on 1 September when the crew transmitted squawk code 7700, the international signal used to alert air traffic control to a general emergency.
The Airbus A321neo, registered G-TNEI, had reached cruising altitude when the emergency was declared. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft subsequently making a controlled descent to around 8,000 feet before continuing towards London at the lower altitude.
Emergency services at Heathrow were placed on standby ahead of the aircraft’s arrival, in line with standard procedures following a 7700 alert. Despite the emergency declaration, the flight was able to continue to its intended destination without being diverted.
The aircraft made its final approach to Heathrow’s runway 27L and landed safely before taxiing to a remote stand at Terminal 5.
“The aircraft landed safely at Heathrow following a minor technical issue,” a British Airways spokesperson said.
The airline has not provided further details about the nature of the technical problem that prompted the emergency declaration.
What does squawk 7700 mean?
Squawk 7700 is a transponder code used by pilots to alert air traffic control that an aircraft is experiencing a general emergency and may require priority handling.
When the code is transmitted, air traffic controllers are immediately made aware of the situation and can prioritise the aircraft, coordinate with the crew and alert emergency services on the ground if necessary.
However, a 7700 declaration does not indicate the nature or severity of the problem. It can be used in a wide range of circumstances, including technical faults, medical emergencies and other situations in which pilots consider that priority assistance may be required.
In the case of BA825, British Airways described the technical issue as minor, and the aircraft was able to continue safely to Heathrow rather than diverting to another airport.
The incident came just two days after another UK airline transmitted the same emergency code during a flight to Spain.
Jet2 flight diverts to Paris after emergency declaration
On Sunday, 30 August, Jet2 flight LS1473 was travelling from London Stansted to Ibiza when its crew transmitted squawk 7700 while flying over France.
The Boeing 737-800 diverted towards Paris approximately an hour and a half into the journey, making an unscheduled landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Emergency services were positioned on standby ahead of the aircraft’s arrival. Flight tracking data showed the Boeing turning towards the French capital before landing safely on runway 27L at 10:49 am local time.
Unlike the British Airways flight, which was able to continue directly to its destination, the Jet2 aircraft remained on the ground in Paris before resuming its journey later that day.
The flight departed from Charles de Gaulle at 12:51 pm and eventually arrived in Ibiza at 2:33 pm local time. No injuries were reported in either incident.
