- British Airways flight BA295 declared an emergency on 5 October after dropping around 28,000 feet in minutes
- The aircraft experienced a pressurisation issue over Ireland
- The Boeing 777-200ER transmitted a squawk 7700 emergency code
- The flight returned safely to Heathrow Terminal 5 at approximately 17:02 local time
- British Airways confirmed all customers disembarked normally
A British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Chicago has declared an emergency on 5 October after dropping around 28,000 feet in minutes while flying over Ireland. The aircraft transmitted a 7700 emergency code and spent several hours manoeuvring before returning safely to Heathrow. The airline described the incident as a technical issue and confirmed that passengers disembarked normally.
British Airways flight BA295 from London Heathrow Airport to Chicago O’Hare International Airport declared a mid-air emergency after experiencing a pressurisation issue over Ireland. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER with registration G-VIIA, had reached its cruising altitude of 37,000 feet when it was forced into a sudden and rapid descent. It plummeted 28,000 feet in roughly seven minutes, levelling off at 9,000 feet to allow the crew and passengers to breathe safely without supplementary oxygen. During the drop, the oxygen masks were deployed in the cabin. The pilots transmitted a squawk 7700 transponder code, the international signal indicating a general emergency.
After stabilizing over Irish airspace, the flight aborted its transatlantic crossing and turned back toward England. The jet spent roughly four hours zigzagging over the Bristol Channel before landing safely back at Heathrow Terminal 5 at approximately 17:02 local time. British Airways confirmed that the aircraft landed without further incident and all customers disembarked normally while teams worked to rebook their travel.
