Passengers aboard a Jet2 flight bound for a popular vacation destination found themselves 1,000km off course following a mid-air medical emergency. Flight LS167 took off from Glasgow Airport en route to Arrecife Airport in Lanzarote around 3:30 pm on Thursday. While cruising at 37,000ft off the Portuguese coast, the Boeing 737-800 crew decided to divert the plane to Faro Airport on Portugal’s Algarve coast due to a medical issue.
A squawk code of 7700 was issued to alert air traffic control of the onboard emergency, granting the aircraft priority for landing. This code signifies a general emergency without specifying the exact nature of the problem. In this instance, the emergency was related to a medical incident, with emergency services prepared to meet the aircraft upon its arrival in Faro.
Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 shows the aircraft’s deviation from its southbound route over the Atlantic Ocean, making a sharp left turn and descending before landing in Faro around 6:20 pm. After a brief stopover, the flight resumed its journey, departing from Faro at 8 pm and safely reaching Lanzarote at 9:35 pm.
Jet2 has been contacted for comment on the incident. This occurrence follows another recent emergency involving an easyJet flight en route to Manchester Airport from Amsterdam. The Airbus A320-200 flight, U22164, circled in a holding pattern near Manchester after the crew declared a mid-air alert. The pilot deviated from the normal approach trajectory into Manchester and landed safely following the emergency declaration, albeit with a delay.