Flybe plane to Glasgow issues emergency squawk code 7700 and returns to airport | UK | News
The plane, operated by Swift Air, returned to its departure airport after “squawking” an emergency 7700 code. It is not yet clear why the plane returned to Birmingham Airport. A spokesperson for Glasgow Airport – the aircraft’s destination airport – said it was aware a plane had not completed its journey. The Planefinder service sprang into life at 6.56pm after a 7700 code signal indicated a general emergency.
The signal was first received over Otherton in Penkridge, Stafford, before the aircraft suddenly turned around.
The arrivals board at Glasgow Airport stated the plane was due to arrive at 7.25pm, but instead arrived nearly two hours later at 9.18pm.
The Planefinder website currently reads: “The flight you’re trying to view has landed or is out of range of our tracking network.”
A spokesperson for Glasgow Airport said: “We’re aware an aircraft departed from Birmingham and then returned.
“You would need to speak to the operator to find out why.”
Express.co.uk has contacted Flybe for comment.
An emergency 7700 squawk code is aimed at quickly alerting Air Traffic Control when an aircraft is in distress.
The signal can often be sent to indicate a technical or engineering issue with the aircraft.
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“If I’m talking to Chicago Approach and have a problem, I’ll tell them the problem, declare an emergency over the radio and get vectors to land immediately.”
