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British Airways Flight Plunges 28,000 Feet In Minutes After Mid-Air Emergency
- •British Airways flight BA295 from London to Chicago rapidly descended 28,000 feet in just 10 minutes over Irish airspace on Monday.
- •The aircraft issued a squawk 7700 emergency code and oxygen masks dropped as the plane plunged from 37,000 feet to 9,000 feet.
- •Aviation experts and ACARS messages suggest the emergency was triggered by a cabin pressurisation issue.
- •The plane circled for hours over the Bristol Channel to burn fuel before landing safely back at Heathrow Airport with no reported injuries.
- •Passengers described a terrifying experience of sudden weightlessness and alarms going off during the steep descent.
Key Questions Answered
British Airways flight BA295 from London to Chicago plunged 28,000 feet in 10 minutes, dropping from a cruising altitude of 37,000 feet to 9,000 feet, after experiencing an emergency about an hour into the journey. The aircraft issued a squawk 7700 code and safely returned to London Heathrow Airport after circling over the Bristol Channel to reduce weight.
While British Airways officially cited a technical issue, aviation experts and data tracking indicated the rapid descent matched Boeing procedures for a loss of cabin pressurisation. ACARS messages from the crew confirmed a return to Heathrow due to a pressure problem after the cabin altitude reached 10,500 feet.
The aircraft was carrying around 30 tonnes of fuel over its maximum landing weight, requiring it to spend hours circling and burning or dumping fuel over the Bristol Channel to ensure a safe landing.
