A Virgin Atlantic flight originating from Los Angeles had to declare an emergency upon entering British airspace. The Airbus A350-1000 aircraft crew transmitted a Squawk 7700 code indicating a general emergency at 39,000 feet due to a severe medical issue concerning a passenger onboard. The plane swiftly descended towards London Heathrow Airport, landing at Heathrow Terminal 3 approximately 10 minutes ahead of schedule as reported by AirLive.
The pilots promptly notified air traffic control, securing a priority landing for the flight. Subsequently, the aircraft executed a rapid descent to the runway, where emergency services and ground crews were prepared for its arrival.
A spokesperson from Virgin Atlantic informed the Mirror that flight VS8 from Los Angeles, which took off on Monday, requested a priority landing at London Heathrow due to a passenger falling unwell onboard. The flight landed safely on Tuesday morning, and medical assistance was promptly provided upon arrival. Ensuring the safety and welfare of passengers and crew is always a top priority for the airline.
Virgin Atlantic, the second-largest carrier in Britain, operates transatlantic flights connecting London Heathrow to various destinations like New York, Orlando, the Caribbean, Delhi, and Johannesburg. The company’s headquarters are located 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 about the baby’s breathing difficulties. The aircraft successfully landed ahead of schedule, and medical assistance was coordinated on the ground.
As of now, it remains unknown whether the baby required further medical attention upon landing.