An easyJet flight bound for the Channel Islands was forced to make an emergency return to Glasgow Airport this morning following a “crew welfare issue”.
GLASGOW – Flight U2439, operated by an Airbus A319 (registration G-EZBI), departed Glasgow (GLA) at 11:58 BST destined for Saint Helier (JER). However, the climb was abruptly halted as the aircraft reached an altitude of 18,000 feet.
Rapid Descent and Emergency Declaration
Just minutes into the flight, the flight crew contacted Air Traffic Control to request an immediate return to the airfield. The pilots transmitted a Squawk 7700 code, the international signal for an emergency, ensuring priority handling for the approach.
According to report, the diversion was necessitated by a crew member becoming injured during the departure phase. While the specific nature of the injury has not been officially confirmed, the situation was deemed serious enough to terminate the flight immediately.
“We can confirm that flight U2439 from Glasgow to Jersey returned to Glasgow due to a crew member requiring medical attention,” an easyJet spokesperson might state in these circumstances.
Flight Timeline
The incident resulted in a swift turnaround, with the aircraft spending only half an hour in the air:
Current Status
The aircraft landed safely on Glasgow’s Runway 23 and was met by ground services. easyJet has confirmed they are currently working on a solution to get the stranded passengers to Jersey as quickly as possible, which may involve a replacement crew or a different aircraft.
