Edinburg, United Kingdom: A British Airways flight from Edinburgh to London Heathrow was forced to declare an emergency shortly after takeoff, after pilots discovered a landing‑gear fault on 8 December. The incident disrupted operations at Edinburgh Airport and triggered the temporary suspension of all flights.
Flight BA1443, operating an Airbus A320 (registration G‑EUUI), took off from Edinburgh’s Runway 24 at approximately 11:13 GMT on Monday morning. According to tracking data and air‑traffic sources, the flight crew soon identified that the aircraft’s landing gear could not be fully retracted. They issued a “7700” squawk the general‑emergency code then held at altitude around 6,500 feet while troubleshooting.
The aircraft circled near the Stirling area for roughly 30–40 minutes before returning to Edinburgh. It landed safely at around 12:20 GMT.
Upon landing, the aircraft came to a stop on Edinburgh’s only operational runway and remained immobilised due to the landing‑gear problem. As a result, the airport suspended all arrivals and departures until the aircraft could be towed off and the runway inspected and cleared.
During the shutdown, flights from other carriers including easyJet, Ryanair and Lufthansa were delayed or diverted, creating a ripple effect of disruption across the airport’s schedule. Passengers aboard BA1443 were safely evacuated, they were transported back to the terminal via coaches.
In a statement, British Airways confirmed the flight’s safe return, “The aircraft returned to Edinburgh Airport safely after our pilots identified a technical issue after take‑off.” The airline added it is working to minimise disruption for affected customers.
Edinburgh Airport said that safety remained its top priority. After the aircraft was towed off the runway and hydraulic fluid cleared, normal operations resumed. The airport thanked passengers for their patience and the response teams for their swift action.
