LONDON – A British Airways flight bound for Italy was forced to perform an emergency return to London Gatwick on Wednesday afternoon after the aircraft’s landing gear failed to retract following takeoff.
The incident involved Flight BA2590, an Airbus A321 (registration G-EUXF), which departed Gatwick at 15:25 BST. While the climb initially appeared normal, the crew encountered mechanical resistance from the undercarriage as they crossed the English Channel.
Flight Path and Technical Difficulty
According to flight tracking data, the aircraft reached an altitude of 23,000 feet and had entered Belgian airspace when the flight crew determined the landing gear could not be secured according to a source. Operating an A321 at cruising speeds with the gear extended creates significant aerodynamic drag and fuel inefficiency, making a transcontinental flight to Verona impossible.
The pilots made the decision to abort the mission and return to London. To manage the descent and adhere to safety protocols, the aircraft:
- Turned around over Belgium.
- Descended to 17,000 feet for the transit back across the Channel.
- Landed safely at Gatwick at 16:35 BST, just 70 minutes after departure.
Passenger Impact and Recovery
Despite the mid-air drama, British Airways acted quickly to minimize the delay for the passengers on board. After the aircraft landed safely and was met by ground crews, passengers were disembarked and transferred to a replacement aircraft.
The replacement flight touched down at Verona Villafranca Airport at 21:45 local time.
The affected Airbus A321 remains at Gatwick for inspection by maintenance teams to determine why the landing gear failed to retract. No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew.
