A Virgin Atlantic flight originating from Los Angeles experienced a medical emergency onboard as it entered British airspace. The Airbus A350-1000 aircraft transmitted a Squawk 7700 code, indicating a general emergency, while flying at 39,000 feet due to a passenger’s serious medical condition. The plane swiftly descended towards London Heathrow Airport for an expedited landing, arriving at Terminal 3 about 10 minutes ahead of schedule.
Upon receiving the emergency notification, air traffic control granted the flight priority for landing. The pilots executed a rapid descent to the runway, where emergency services and ground crews were ready for assistance. A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson confirmed that the flight requested a priority landing due to a passenger falling ill, ensuring a safe landing and medical aid upon arrival.
Virgin Atlantic, the UK’s second-largest airline, primarily operates transatlantic flights between London Heathrow and various destinations including New York, Orlando, the Caribbean, Delhi, and Johannesburg. The company is headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex, near Gatwick Airport.
In a similar incident, a Jet2 flight from London Stansted to Tenerife South Airport faced an emergency when a baby onboard became ill. Spanish air traffic controllers facilitated a priority landing for the flight after being informed of the infant’s breathing difficulties. The aircraft landed ahead of schedule, and medical assistance was coordinated for the baby upon arrival.
Details on whether the baby was taken to a hospital post-landing were not immediately available.