A British Airways flight to Chicago made an emergency return to London after a sudden 8,000-meter altitude drop, leaving passengers in turbulence and oxygen masks.
Flight returns due to altitude drop
A British Airways flight heading to Chicago had to return to London's Heathrow Airport on Monday, October 5, 2026, after a sudden drop in altitude of about 8,000 meters. The Boeing 777-200ER had taken off from London and was flying at a cruising altitude of 37,000 feet when the incident occurred.Passengers describe turbulence and oxygen masks
Passengers reported experiencing strong turbulence, followed by the deployment of oxygen masks in the cabin. Tom Nicholls, a passenger, described the event to The Guardian, noting that the pilots handled the situation well and the plane eventually stabilized, though he did not immediately realize there was a rapid descent.Oxygen masks became ineffective at lower altitude
A couple seated near Nicholls had trouble reaching their masks, and by the time they found one, the captain announced that the aircraft was below 10,000 feet, making the masks ineffective. The emergency warning to return to Heathrow was issued when the aircraft was at 3,000 meters altitude.Plane lands safely and passengers are rebooked
The plane landed safely at Heathrow around 5 p.m. Passengers were allowed to disembark normally, and the airline said it was assisting them with their travel plans. Passengers were transferred to other flights the following day, Tuesday, October 6.Aircraft is among the oldest in the fleet
The Boeing 777-200ER involved in the incident is one of the oldest planes in British Airways' fleet, having been delivered in July 1997. The exact cause of the altitude drop remains unknown, according to a British Airways spokesperson, who emphasized the airline's commitment to passenger and crew safety.
