An easyJet flight from Glasgow to Southampton was forced to divert to Liverpool on Sunday after declaring a mid-air emergency, with the airline blaming a bird strike shortly after take-off.
The jet, flight U2415, had been in the air for around 25 minutes when its crew set the 7700 code that signals a general emergency to air traffic control.
It was then steered to Liverpool John Lennon Airport and landed safely, according to flight-tracking sites including AirLive and FlightRadar24.
easyJet confirmed the diversion itself. In a statement, the airline said the aircraft had “diverted to Liverpool in line with procedures due to a bird strike after take-off,” apologised to passengers and said a replacement plane was being arranged.
Those passengers were later flown on to Southampton, arriving around two hours later than planned.
What is a bird strike?
A bird strike is simply a collision between a bird and an aircraft, usually around take-off or landing. They are one of the most common hazards in flying, and the vast majority cause little or no damage.
Crews will still divert as a precaution if they suspect any harm, especially to an engine. The same caution covers other mid-air problems, as with the Air France jet that declared an emergency and diverted to Dublin. No injuries were reported on U2415, and the plane was checked over on the ground at Liverpool.
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