LONDON- An easyJet (U2) flight operating from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Tenerife South Airport (TFS) was diverted to London Gatwick Airport (LGW) after the crew reported a “welfare issue” on board.
The incident involved flight EZY3201, which departed Edinburgh at 3:35 pm on Wednesday and was originally scheduled to arrive in Tenerife at approximately 8:05 pm local time.
The Airbus A320 operating the service altered course while cruising over European airspace and landed safely at Gatwick shortly after 5:30 pm.
The diversion disrupted a routine trans-European leisure service and triggered an immediate operational response from the airline.
easyJet Flight Diversion Details
Flight data indicated that EZY3201 was cruising at approximately 35,000 feet over the Brittany region in north-west France when the crew initiated a diversion.
The aircraft subsequently turned north-east and proceeded toward London Gatwick Airport, where it completed a safe landing without further incident.
The flight had been operating normally until the deviation from its planned route. According to available tracking data, the aircraft made a controlled descent and repositioning without declaring a full emergency.
Notably, the crew did not transmit a squawk 7700 code, which typically signals a general distress situation.
Following landing at LGW, airport and airline procedures were activated to manage the arrival and subsequent passenger handling requirements.
The aircraft was later prepared to continue its scheduled rotation after necessary ground checks and operational coordination.
easyJet’s Response
easyJet confirmed that the diversion was triggered by a welfare-related issue involving a passenger onboard.
The airline, however, did not disclose further details, citing standard handling protocols for such sensitive situations.
In a statement provided to passengers, easyJet said, “We’re very sorry that your flight has now been diverted, Mirror flagged. This is due to a welfare issue.
The disruption to your flight is outside of our control and is considered an extraordinary circumstance.”
The airline also informed passengers that the aircraft would be refuelled and the journey to Tenerife would resume as soon as operationally feasible.
Crew members remained in contact with passengers to provide updates throughout the disruption.
Operational Disruption and Impact on easyJet
The diversion caused a temporary interruption to the flight’s original schedule, with knock-on effects for arrival timing in Tenerife.
The onward sector was later rescheduled, with departure from Gatwick planned for around 9:45 pm.
The flight was expected to arrive in Tenerife at approximately 2:30 am local time, significantly later than initially scheduled.
Such disruptions can affect aircraft rotation cycles, especially during peak travel periods when utilisation rates are high.
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