A Jet2 flight bound for the French Riviera was forced to make an unexpected U-turn back to Manchester Airport on Monday following a technical issue mid-flight.
MANCHESTER — Flight LS833, operated by a Boeing 737-800 registered as G-DRTW, had taken off from Manchester’s runway 05L at 1:21 PM heading south toward Nice. According to tracking data, the aircraft reached its planned cruising altitude of 37,000 feet before the crew reported an unexpected technical glitch just as the plane approached the English Channel.
Unexpected Diversion
Rather than crossing into continental airspace, the pilots made the decision to execute a U-turn and loop back toward North West England as a precautionary measure.
The aircraft safely touched down back at Manchester Airport on runway 05R approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes after its initial departure. Emergency services at airports typically monitor such precautionary returns, though the landing was completed without further incident.
Flight Overview
- Flight Number: Jet2 LS833
- Route: Manchester (MAN) to Nice (NCE)
- Aircraft: Boeing 737-800 (Reg: G-DRTW)
- Departure: 1:21 PM (Runway 05L)
- Arrival Back at MAN: ~4:11 PM (Runway 05R)
Passengers Rebooked
Jet2 acted quickly to minimize disruption for passengers on board the affected flight. The airline arranged a replacement aircraft to take over the route, scheduling a revised departure from Manchester at 4:15 PM later the same afternoon.
No injuries were reported, and Jet2 has not yet specified the exact nature of the technical issue that prompted the return.
