Nine Gatwick-Bound Flights Declare Emergencies After Aircraft Blocks Runway

British Airways aircraft developed a technical fault on landing, closing Gatwick's runway and forcing multiple flights to divert across the UK.

London Gatwick Airport faced major overnight disruption after a British Airways aircraft developed a technical issue and remained on the airport's main runway, triggering emergency declarations and diversions for flights arriving from across Europe and North Africa. Hundreds of passengers faced extended journeys before normal operations resumed in the early hours.

The disruption began shortly after midnight on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, following the arrival of British Airways flight BA2673 from Palma de Mallorca. The aircraft landed at Gatwick at approximately 12:12 am but was unable to leave the runway immediately. Airport rescue and firefighting vehicles attended as a precaution, a standard response when an aircraft reports a technical fault. British Airways later confirmed the flight had landed safely and passengers disembarked normally, with no injuries reported. With the runway temporarily unavailable, air traffic control placed incoming aircraft into holding patterns above southern England or instructed them to divert to alternative airports.

As the closure continued, nine Gatwick-bound aircraft selected the emergency transponder code 7700 while circling over southern England. Flight-tracking reports suggested the declarations were likely linked to fuel concerns after aircraft spent longer than planned holding or being rerouted. Code 7700 is a general aircraft emergency signal and does not independently confirm the exact cause of each declaration, but allows pilots to alert air traffic control that priority handling is required. This enabled the affected aircraft to receive priority assistance while suitable diversion airports were arranged, reflecting standard aviation safety procedure rather than a crisis in itself.​​​​​​​

A total of 14 Gatwick-bound flights were reportedly diverted during the disruption, including the nine that transmitted emergency signals. Five flights landed at London Luton Airport, four were redirected to London Stansted, three diverted to Birmingham Airport, one landed at London Heathrow, and another at Bristol Airport. The affected services had travelled from destinations including Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Valencia, Rhodes, Athens, Rome, Bari and Agadir, with British Airways, easyJet, Jet2 and TUI Airways among the airlines involved. The nine flights that transmitted emergency codes included easyJet services from Agadir, Valencia, Fuerteventura, Athens and Rome, British Airways flights from Bari and Tenerife, a Jet2 flight from Lanzarote, and a TUI Airways flight from Rhodes.​​​​​​​

The British Airways aircraft was eventually moved clear of the runway, allowing operations to resume. The runway reopened at approximately 1:30 am, with easyJet and TUI services among the first aircraft able to land afterwards. Gatwick confirmed the runway had been closed briefly due to a technical issue involving an aircraft, with several flights diverted and most later returning. Normal operations resumed, though some passengers may have continued to experience delays as airlines repositioned aircraft and managed disrupted schedules.

For travellers affected by disruption of this kind, Crystal Travel's expert travel agents remain on hand to help with rebooking and understanding passenger rights when journeys don't go to plan.