An Air India flight bound for the UK was forced to declare a mid-air emergency and divert to a different airport on Thursday evening, as heavy snowfall from Storm Goretti caused widespread travel chaos.
Mid-Air Emergency Triggered by Low Fuel
Flight AI117, operating from Amritsar in India's Punjab state to Birmingham, issued the international radio distress code "Squawk 7700" as it approached its destination. The emergency was declared due to a "Minimum Fuel" situation. According to reports from AirLive, the aircraft had been forced into a holding pattern because of the severe weather, depleting its reserves to a level that was unsafe for another orbit.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was near Leamington Spa when it turned towards London. The emergency code granted the pilots priority handling from Air Traffic Control (ATC) to facilitate a swift and safe landing elsewhere.
Storm Goretti Grounds Birmingham Airport
The primary cause of the diversion was the extreme weather conditions battering the UK. Storm Goretti brought heavy snow and freezing temperatures, reducing visibility at Birmingham Airport to below 500 metres. This was under the minimum required for a safe landing, prompting the airport to suspend all runway operations on Thursday evening.
In a statement, Birmingham Airport said: "Due to heavy snow, runway operations are currently suspended. Passengers due to travel from Birmingham Airport are advised to contact their airline for the latest updates on their flight." The suspension led to significant disruption, with flights to destinations including Paris, Bergamo, Geneva, and Delhi being cancelled or delayed.
Safe Landing at Heathrow Amid Ongoing Disruption
The Air India flight was successfully rerouted to London Heathrow Airport. Heathrow's longer runways and advanced Category III Instrument Landing Systems provided a higher safety margin for the aircraft to land with its limited remaining fuel. The plane touched down safely in London.
The disruption extended beyond Birmingham. East Midlands Airport also closed its runway briefly early on Thursday, and dozens of flights to and from Heathrow, as well as some from Luton Airport, were cancelled on Friday as the clean-up continued.
As of Friday morning, Birmingham Airport teams were conducting final snow clearance and safety checks, but runway operations remained suspended. The Met Office maintained weather warnings, with Chief Forecaster Steve Willington warning of further snow for Scotland and northern England, likely causing ongoing travel issues.
