BRISTOL, UK — Passengers on an easyJet flight from Spain endured a tense night with diversion and emergency declaration after a bird strike at Bristol Airport triggered a chain of events that left their aircraft running low on fuel.
A Routine Arrival Interrupted
EasyJet Flight U22708, operated by an Airbus A320 (registration G-EZTA), departed Madrid on Sunday evening for what should have been a standard two-hour flight to the West Country. The aircraft was scheduled to touch down in Bristol at 10:00 PM GMT.
However, as the flight approached its destination, the airport was forced to temporarily suspend all runway operations. The closure was prompted by a bird strike incident involving another aircraft, which required a full runway inspection to clear debris and ensure the safety of subsequent landings.
Emergency Fuel Declaration
While the A320 entered a holding pattern, the delay began to deplete its fuel reserves. After circling for several minutes without a clear window to land at the blocked airport, the flight crew took the decisive step of declaring a Pan-Pan emergency—later upgraded to a full Squawk 7700 emergency—to notify air traffic control of their critically low fuel status.
Under emergency priority, the aircraft was immediately diverted to Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL).
- Diversion Landing: The flight touched down safely in Liverpool at 10:57 PM GMT.
- Refueling: The aircraft spent approximately one hour on the ground, where it was refueled and the crew prepared for a short “hop” back to their original destination.
Late-Night Return to Bristol
Once Bristol Airport confirmed the runway was clear and operational, Flight U22708 departed Liverpool for a brief 29-minute ferry flight south. The aircraft finally landed in Bristol at 12:12 AM GMT Monday, over two hours behind schedule.
