Two flights were faced with mid-air emergencies 60 seconds apart, sparking travel chaos at Gatwick airport.
The British Airways flight from Gatwick to Cancun declared a full emergency after ‘toxic fumes’ filled the cabin of its Boeing 777-200 on Tuesday shortly after take-off.
The smoke prompted oxygen masks to deploy mid-air and even forced pilots to open cockpit windows for fresh air.
Passengers described a pungent stench ‘like used socks’ that left several feeling dizzy.
The aircraft, carrying 340 passengers and crew, had to circle the capital for 45 minutes to dump fuel before making a priority landing at 3:29pm, nearly an hour after its 2:11pm departure.
Emergency services were on standby as the plane touched down, The Sun reports.
The runway and the aircraft both underwent thorough inspections, grounding the Cancun service for 24 hours with passengers having to be put in airport hotels overnight.
Just one minute later, an easyJet flight from Madeira triggered a separate emergency, issuing a ‘pan pan’ alert after a bird strike.
Two flights were faced with mid-air emergencies 60 seconds apart, which sparked travel chaos at Gatwick airport. Pictured: Stock image of Gatwick Airport
The British Airways flight en route to Cancun declared a full emergency after ‘toxic fumes’ filled the cabin of its Boeing 777-200 on Tuesday
easyJet’s Airbus A320, with around 190 people onboard, requested a continuous descent and a sterile runway before landing safely at 3:30pm
The Airbus A320, with around 190 people onboard, requested a continuous descent and a sterile runway before landing safely at 3:30pm.
Both incidents temporarily shut Gatwick’s main runway as emergency crews assessed potential hazards.
Some passengers and crew reportedly needed medical treatment for exposure to the unknown fumes.
The BA flight finally departed for Mexico the following day.
BA confirmed the plane landed safely at the airport after pilots found a ‘technical issue’.
The airliner added: ‘Our customers disembarked normally and we’ve apologised for the disruption to their travel plans.’
Meanwhile budget airliner easyJet said the flight from Funchal asked for a priority landing into London Gatwick before being met by emergency services as a precaution.
A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Flight EZY8520 from Funchal to London Gatwick on 15 July requested a priority landing into London Gatwick.
‘The aircraft landed normally was met by emergency services in line with procedures, purely as a precaution.
‘The safety of our customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers’ guidelines.’
BA was approached for comment.
