An easyJet flight originally bound for the Canary Islands from Edinburgh was redirected to London due to a situation concerning passenger welfare. Flight EZY3201, destined for Tenerife, took off from Edinburgh Airport at 3:35 pm on Wednesday. The Airbus A320, which was supposed to touch down at Tenerife South Airport at approximately 8:05 pm, had to change course to Gatwick Airport following the incident. Flight tracking data indicated the aircraft’s path southwest over Brittany in north-west France at an altitude of about 35,000 feet before making a turn northeast towards London. The plane landed safely at Gatwick Airport shortly after 5:30 pm, as reported by the Daily Record.
easyJet has confirmed that the flight diversion was prompted by a welfare-related issue, though the airline has not disclosed further specifics. Despite the situation, the flight crew did not activate a squawk 7700 code, which is the international signal for a general emergency.
In an online update to passengers, easyJet expressed regret over the diversion and attributed it to a welfare concern deemed beyond their control, constituting an exceptional circumstance. The airline assured passengers of refueling and resuming the flight promptly, with the crew providing regular updates.
Following the reroute, the flight is anticipated to depart from London around 9:45 pm to resume its journey to Tenerife, with an estimated arrival time of approximately 2:30 am.