A British Airways flight to the US returned to London Heathrow on Monday after a rapid 28,000-foot descent and an emergency declaration. Flight BA295, a Boeing 777-200, departed Heathrow at 12.14pm en route to Chicago’s O’Hare airport.
About an hour into the nine-hour flight, the aircraft dropped sharply from its cruising altitude of 37,000 feet to 9,000 feet within minutes. This followed a "technical issue" which led to a squawk 7700 alert, signalling a general emergency.
Passengers reported that oxygen masks were deployed after the aircraft encountered sudden turbulence. The flight made a U-turn over Ireland and, after burning fuel in a holding pattern, landed safely back at Heathrow at 5.03pm. The flight was subsequently cancelled, with most customers rebooked to travel on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for British Airways stated that the aircraft landed safely after pilots returned to Heathrow due to a technical issue, adding that customer and crew safety is their top priority.