The pilot initiated a procedure known as squawking 7700 minutes after the plane took off for London.
12:47, 08 Dec 2025
Flight BA1443 landed safely at Edinburgh Airport but has remained on the runway(Image: Dave Scott)
Edinburgh Airport suspended flights this afternoon after a British Airways plane declared a mid-air emergency shortly after take-off. Flight BA1443 to London Heathrow Airport departed Edinburgh at around 11.13am on Monday, December 8.
The Airbus A320 circled the skies above Stirling and Alloa before the pilot initiated an emergency procedure known as squawking 7700.
The flight returned to the capital minutes later. British Airways have since confirmed that a “technical issue” with the plane was discovered.
Images shared on social media show the plane in the middle of the only runway at Edinburgh Airport with emergency vehicles responding to the incident. Fire crews and police could be seen on the tarmac.
Crews from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service included six fire appliances, a heavy rescue and a height appliance which were sent to the scene as a precaution.
The aircraft had no visible damage but was unable to get off of the runway. Passengers were escorted off of the plane and Edinburgh Airport was forced to suspend operations.
EasyJet flights from Geneva, London Gatwick, London Stansted were diverted to Glasgow while a flight from Basel was diverted to Prestwick.
A Qatar Airways flight from Doha was diverted to Manchester, while Ryanair flights from Rzeszow and Santander were diverted to Prestwick and Glasgow, respectively.
Later today, a spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport confirmed operations had resumed.
Emergency response squawking 7700 means a general emergency has been declared.
It can cover a range of scenarios including a technical or medical emergency.
The procedure allows air traffic controllers and ground crews to respond to the emergency in the most effective manner.
A spokesperson for British Airways said: “The aircraft returned to Edinburgh Airport safely after our pilots identified a technical issue after take-off.
“We’ve apologised to our customers for the disruption to their journey and our teams are working hard to get them on their way as soon as possible.”
A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “Our teams were alerted to an issue with an inbound British Airways flight and, as per standard procedure, activated our response protocols.
“The aircraft landed safely but a landing gear fault meant it remained on the runway after landing. Passengers were safely transferred to coaches, while the airline’s handling agent escorted and later towed the aircraft to its stand. Airport teams then cleared hydraulic fluid from the runway before normal operations could resume.
“Safety is always paramount and we would like to thank passenger for their patience and understanding, and to our teams who responded and have worked to resume operations.”
A spokesperson for EasyJet said: “Due to the temporary closure of the runway at Edinburgh Airport this afternoon, six inbound flights were required to divert to alternative airports and three flights were unable to operate as planned.
“We are doing all we can to support customers whose flights have been impacted by the closure, providing onward travel for diverted flights and options to rebook or a refund as well as hotel accommodation and meals where required for those whose flights have been cancelled.
“Whilst the situation is outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused. The safety of its customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 12.05pm on Monday, December 8, to reports of a plane with landing gear issues at Edinburgh Airport.
“Operations Control mobilised six fire appliances, a heavy rescue and a height appliance to the scene as a precaution. The plane landed safely.
“There were no casualties and crews left the scene after ensuring the area was safe.”
