Key facts
- British Airways flight BA2660 to Faro, Portugal, returned to Gatwick Airport on Tuesday.
- The diversion was due to a cracked passenger window.
- The aircraft squawked the 7700 emergency code.
- Passengers were expected to continue their journey after a delay.
British Airways flight BA2660, en route to Faro in Portugal, was forced to return to London Gatwick Airport on Tuesday after a passenger window was found to be cracked. The Airbus A321 aircraft diverted over north-western France while checks were conducted. AirNav Radar, a flight data provider, reported that the plane squawked the 7700 emergency code, which signifies a mechanical or technical problem. A British Airways spokesperson confirmed the safe landing at Gatwick due to a "minor technical issue" and stated that passengers would resume their journey. The airline apologized for the delay. Last week, another British Airways flight bound for Chicago circled over Ireland for five hours before returning to London Heathrow after issuing an emergency alert and reportedly dropping oxygen masks.