British Airways Flight 2660 returned to London Gatwick Airport on Oct. 13 after turning back over France less than an hour after departing for Faro, Portugal, according to flight-tracking information cited in the report.
The airline said the aircraft diverted because of a “minor technical issue” and landed safely at Gatwick. A spokesperson said British Airways apologized to passengers for the delay and that staff worked to help them resume their travel plans.
A cracked passenger window was reported as the reason for the diversion, but the airline did not identify the specific technical problem. The distinction matters: British Airways confirmed a technical issue, while the window explanation was not confirmed by the carrier in the supplied reporting.
Flight-tracking service AirNav Radar indicated that the crew transmitted the 7700 emergency code during the incident. Aviation safety expert and retired United Airlines captain Steven Arroyo told Fox News Digital that pilots use the code to alert air traffic controllers that an emergency or other significant event is occurring. The code does not, by itself, specify the nature of the problem; pilots can communicate details and request assistance separately.
Arroyo said aircraft windows have multiple layers, and the implications of a crack depend on where the damage occurs. In a more serious case, window damage could affect the aircraft’s ability to maintain cabin pressure, he said. Other damage may be less severe but still lead a crew to land as a precaution.
He said flight crews weigh several factors when deciding whether to continue or divert, with safety taking priority. Returning to Gatwick would enable the aircraft to land before any reported crack could worsen, according to Arroyo.
Arroyo also advised passengers who notice possible window damage to tell a flight attendant rather than assume the crew already knows. He said passenger observations can help cabin staff bring a potential concern to the pilots’ attention.
The report compared the event with a separate incident involving a Ryanair flight in July. According to the account, a passenger window became dislodged shortly after the aircraft departed Thessaloniki, Greece, and cabin pressure was lost. Other passengers helped pull a 61-year-old passenger back inside. The aircraft returned safely to Thessaloniki, and the passenger received medical treatment for neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns. That earlier event was distinct from the British Airways diversion.
