LONDON- A British Airways (BA) flight bound for Cancun (CUN) was forced to make an emergency landing after toxic fumes filled the cabin on July 16. The incident on Flight BA2203, operated by a Boeing 777-200, triggered a full emergency shortly after takeoff from Gatwick Airport (LGW).
The pilots opened the cockpit windows for ventilation while oxygen masks were deployed for the 340 passengers onboard. The plane circled London for 45 minutes before landing safely at 3:29 PM, nearly an hour after its 2:11 PM departure.
Photo: By Dmitry Terekhov from Odintsovo, Russian Federation – Boeing 777-200, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50189243British 777 Emergency Landing
British Airways Flight BA2203, scheduled from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Cancun International Airport (CUN), experienced a critical in-flight emergency on July 16, 2024.
The Boeing 777-200 aircraft, registered as G-YMME, had only recently departed when pilots and cabin crew detected a strong, unpleasant odor described by passengers as the “smell of used socks.”
The fumes reportedly left several passengers and crew feeling dizzy and nauseated.
Upon recognizing the severity of the situation, the cockpit crew deployed oxygen masks and opened cockpit windows to ventilate the flight deck. The pilots declared a “full emergency,” prompting air traffic control to clear the plane for an immediate return to Gatwick.
To ensure safety, the aircraft circled the London airspace for approximately 45 minutes, burning fuel to reduce landing weight, before safely touching down at 3:29 PM.
Emergency crews met the aircraft on the runway, and both the plane and the runway underwent thorough inspections to rule out further hazards. Some passengers and crew required medical attention due to exposure to the unknown fumes.
British Airways postponed the flight for 24 hours, accommodating passengers in local hotels before reattempting the journey to Cancun the next day.
A British Airways spokesperson confirmed, “The aircraft landed safely at Gatwick after our pilots identified a technical issue. Customers disembarked normally, and we’ve apologised for the disruption to their travel plans.”
By ERIC SALARD – https://www.flickr.com/photos/airlines470/49030476262/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=97285064EasyJet Emergency: Bird Strike Minutes Apart
Coincidentally, within a minute of the BA2203 emergency, an unrelated EasyJet (U2/EZY) flight also declared an urgent situation. Flight EZY8520, an Airbus A320 flying from Funchal, Madeira (FNC) to London Gatwick (LGW), experienced a suspected bird strike.
The EasyJet pilots issued a “pan-pan” call—a precautionary alert less severe than “mayday”—indicating an urgent but not life-threatening issue. They requested a “continuous descent” and a “sterile runway” to prioritize their landing. The aircraft landed safely at 3:30 PM, just moments after the BA flight’s return.
EasyJet later stated: “Flight EZY8520 from Funchal to London Gatwick on 15 July requested a priority landing into London Gatwick. The aircraft landed normally and was met by emergency services in line with procedures, purely as a precaution.”
Airport authorities temporarily closed the runway to inspect for debris or bird remains, ensuring no residual risk to other flights.
Photo: By Alex Beltyukov – RuSpotters Team – Gallery page http://www.airliners.net/photo/British-Airways/Boeing-777-236-ER/2166021/LPhoto http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/1/2/0/2166021.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27355829Prior BA Incident at Gatwick
The BA2203 toxic fumes incident isn’t the first safety concern for British Airways at Gatwick Airport (LGW). In June 2023, a separate BA Boeing 777 flight to Vancouver (YVR) had to abort takeoff after an unusual pilot error caused the aircraft’s brakes to catch fire.
According to the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), the co-pilot mistakenly moved the wrong lever while accelerating for takeoff, pulling a control to his left instead of the intended right.
This error reduced the thrust prematurely, causing an unplanned deceleration while the plane was gaining speed, leading to brake overheating and fire.
This misstep resulted in a 50-minute closure of Gatwick’s runway and the cancellation of 23 flights, causing significant operational disruption. The AAIB investigation noted, “There was no obvious reason for him being primed to do that… and he could not identify a reason for it on the day.”
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