A Virgin Atlantic flight originating from Los Angeles issued a distress call upon nearing British airspace. The Airbus A350-1000 crew signaled a Squawk 7700 alert at 39,000 feet, citing a severe medical emergency involving a passenger on board. The aircraft swiftly descended towards London Heathrow Airport for an expedited landing, arriving at Terminal 3 slightly ahead of schedule.
The pilots promptly notified air traffic control, which accorded priority landing to the flight. Emergency services and ground crews awaited the aircraft as it rapidly descended for landing. A spokesperson from Virgin Atlantic confirmed that Flight VS8 requested a priority landing at London Heathrow due to a passenger falling ill onboard. Medical assistance was promptly provided upon the flight’s safe landing.
Virgin Atlantic, the second-largest airline in Britain, operates transatlantic flights between London Heathrow and various destinations, including New York, Orlando, the Caribbean, Delhi, and Johannesburg. The airline, headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex, approximately 2.5 miles from Gatwick Airport, remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew.
In a separate incident, a Jet2 flight from London Stansted to Tenerife South Airport faced an emergency when a baby onboard became unwell. Spanish air traffic control granted the flight priority landing after being informed of the infant’s breathing difficulties. The aircraft landed ahead of schedule, with medical assistance coordinated for the baby upon arrival.
Details on the baby’s condition post-landing were not immediately available.
