British Airways flight to Mallorca declares mid-air emergency after technical fault

A British Airways flight heading to Mallorca was forced to make an emergency U-turn over France after a technical problem triggered an alert at 37,000 feet, leaving passengers facing an unexpected overnight delay.

Flight BA2672 was travelling from London Gatwick to Palma de Mallorca on Sunday, November 1, when the Airbus A320 developed a reported fault involving its landing gear control system.

The pilots abandoned the journey and turned the aircraft around over central France, activating an internationally recognised emergency signal to alert air traffic control.

The incident prompted emergency crews to prepare for the aircraft’s return to Gatwick, where it eventually landed safely.

Aircraft forced to turn back over France

The flight, operated by an Airbus A320 registered as G-EUYW, departed London Gatwick at approximately 4pm local time, with Mallorca as its destination.

According to aviation tracking reports, the aircraft had climbed to around 37,000 feet and was flying over French airspace when the crew received a warning concerning its landing gear control system.

After assessing the situation, the pilots decided against continuing towards Palma, where the necessary engineering support for the reported technical problem was not available.

Instead, the aircraft reversed course over central France and headed back towards its departure airport.

During the return journey, the crew activated transponder code 7700, the internationally recognised signal used to declare a general aviation emergency.

The signal alerted air traffic controllers and allowed the aircraft to receive priority handling and routing. Emergency ground services were also placed on standby at Gatwick ahead of its arrival.

British Airways confirms safe landing

The aircraft landed safely on runway 08R at London Gatwick at approximately 6pm on Sunday evening before being directed to a remote airport stand.

There were no reports of injuries connected to the incident.

A landing gear control warning does not necessarily mean that the aircraft’s landing gear has physically failed. The system monitors and manages the mechanisms involved in extending and retracting the landing gear, and the precise nature of the reported fault has not been independently established.

The use of the 7700 emergency code also does not automatically mean an aircraft is in immediate danger. It is used by pilots to notify air traffic control that priority assistance is required.

Mallorca passengers face overnight disruption

The unexpected return to London meant passengers were unable to complete their journey to Mallorca as originally planned.

British Airways apologised to those affected and confirmed that accommodation had been arranged for passengers who were left stranded overnight.

A spokesperson for the airline said: “The aircraft safely returned to London Gatwick following a technical issue. We have apologised to customers for the delay to their journey and our teams provided overnight accommodation.”

The airline also confirmed that the flight was expected to depart for Palma again later on Monday, November 2.

The incident highlights the potential for technical problems to disrupt journeys between the UK and the Balearic Islands, even when aircraft are already well into their scheduled flights.