LONDON — A British Airways flight bound for Morocco was forced to make an unexpected u-turn over northern France on Wednesday afternoon, returning to London Gatwick where it was met by airport emergency services on the tarmac.
British Airways Flight BA2820, operated by an Airbus A320 registered as G-EUUT, pushed back from the gate at London Gatwick (LGW) at 3:05 PM on Wednesday, August 5. The aircraft departed without initial incident from runway 26L, setting course south toward Rabat–Salé Airport (RBA).
Sudden Turnaround Over France
The flight had reached its cruising altitude of 35,000 feet and was approximately 30 minutes into its journey over Brittany, France, when the flight crew elected to abort the journey and return to Gatwick. The specific issue prompting the turnaround has not yet been disclosed by the airline.
Following the turn back toward the UK, flight tracking data shows the aircraft descended to 11,000 feet and entered a holding pattern south of London Gatwick for approximately 20 minutes to consume fuel and prepare for an expedited landing.
Ground Emergency Response
The Airbus A320 touched down safely at Gatwick 1 hour and 42 minutes after its initial departure. As a standard precautionary procedure for unannounced returns, emergency fire vehicles greeted the jet on the runway before escorting it to a remote stand on the airport apron.
Passengers remained on the ground for several hours while ground crews inspected the aircraft and addressed the operational delay.
Flight Resumes to Rabat
Despite the disruption, passengers were able to resume their trip later in the evening. The flight departed Gatwick for a second time more than five hours after the initial return, landing safely in Rabat shortly before midnight local time.
