EasyJet flight to Tenerife diverts to London Gatwick following onboard ‘welfare situation’
EasyJet flight EZY3201 departed Edinburgh Airport bound for Tenerife but was diverted to London Gatwick Airport due to a welfare issue on board, with the airline confirming it plans to continue the journey
An EasyJet flight was forced into diverting to a UK airport (stock)(Image: PAUL ELLIS, AFP via Getty Images)
An easyJet flight from Edinburgh was forced to divert to London due to a “welfare issue”. Flight EZY3201 left Edinburgh Airport at 3.35pm on Wednesday (April 22) heading for Tenerife South Airport.
The Airbus A320 was scheduled to touch down in the Canary Islands around 8.05pm but had to reroute to Gatwick Airport following a welfare concern onboard.
Data from flight tracking app FlightRadar24 reveals the aircraft travelling southwest at approximately 35,000ft over Brittany in northwest France.
It then veered northeast towards Gatwick Airport in London, where it landed safely just after 5.30pm. easyJet confirmed that the flight was diverted due to a “welfare issue”, but the airline has not disclosed any further details.
Despite the incident, it’s understood that the flight crew did not trigger the general emergency 7700 squawk. Activating the emergency response squawk 7700 signifies a general emergency declaration.
This can encompass a variety of situations, including technical or medical emergencies, and enables air traffic controllers and ground crews to respond to the emergency in the most efficient way possible, reports the Daily Record.
In an online update to passengers, easyJet stated: “We’re very sorry that your flight has now been diverted. This is due to a welfare issue.
“The disruption to your flight is outside of our control and is considered to be an extraordinary circumstance. We plan to refuel and continue your flight as soon as possible. Your crew will keep you up to date.”
After the detour, the flight is anticipated to depart London at approximately 9.45pm, continuing its journey to Tenerife where it’s scheduled to touch down around 2.30am.
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