AIRCRAFT STORIES - FIVE passenger jets issue Mayday calls during storm because they were 'running out of fuel' as high winds forced them to circle above London

FIVE passenger jets issue Mayday calls during storm because they were 'running out of fuel' as high winds forced them to circle above London

• Jets dangerously close to running out of fuel as they circled capital
• In Manchester, redirected aircraft were met by emergency crews
• Passengers tweeted they were 'thrown around like a paper plane'

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

PUBLISHED: 12:09 GMT, 16 February 2014 | UPDATED: 13:41 GMT, 16 February 2014

 
 
 

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Flights carrying passengers to London were forced to declare mayday emergencies because they were running out of fuel during the latest storms, it has today been claimed. 

Five jets which were unable to land at Heathrow and Gatwick were said to be dangerously close to running out of fuel as they circled the capital on Friday. 

In Manchester, aircraft which had been redirected from London were met by emergency crews. 

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Flights carrying passengers to London were forced to declare mayday emergencies because they were running out of fuel during the latest storms, it has today been claimed

And passengers on a BA flight from Moscow to Heathrow tweeted that they had been tossed around like a 'paper plane' as 60mph winds battered Britain. 

Airline sources told the Sunday Times that four of the diverted planes had issued the mayday distress calls. 

 

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It is believed that three thought they were running out of reserve fuel and one had a problem with its rudder. 

Seventeen Heathrow-bound flights and 13 heading to Gatwick had to divert to Manchester, Birmingham, Stansted and Newcastle.

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Five jets which were unable to land at Heathrow and Gatwick were said to be dangerously close to running out of fuel as they circled the capital on Friday

The BA flight from Moscow to Heathrow declared a lower level emergency. 

The pilot aboard the plane, carrying 143 passengers, aborted one landing as it was hit by strong winds just feet from the runway. 

ITV reporter Jonathan Swain posted about the frightening experience on Twitter: 'My most frightening flight. People screaming as thrown around by strong winds. Even the cabin crew were worried. We [were] like a paper plane swinging over London approaching HRW [Heathrow].'

BA said told the paper that all planes were low on fuel but that pilots had 'more than enough' to get to Manchester. 

They added: 'The service diverted to Manchester due to gale force winds in the London area.

'The aircraft performed a go-around at Heathrow due to strong cross winds over the runway.

'Consequently, the Captain then requested a priority landing known as a 'PAN' at Manchester.

'However, the PAN was withdrawn when the flight was given a very direct routing and landed normally at Manchester.

'Our pilots are some of the most highly trained in the world. This is an eventuality for which they are routinely trained and at no point were our customers in any danger.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2560557/Jets-forced-send-mayday-emergencies-running-fuel-London.html#ixzz2tXQKkrOt
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