Two Virgin Atlantic jets send low fuel emergency calls over Stansted

Updated
Two Virgin Atlantic jets send low fuel emergency calls over Stanstead
Two Virgin Atlantic jets send low fuel emergency calls over Stanstead

PA


A new report reveals that air traffic controllers at Stansted Airport dealt with a total of four low-fuel emergencies on the same day - including two from Virgin Atlantic passenger jets.

The Daily Mail reports that an investigation by the Exaro website found that, one of these was a 'mayday' call.

Two of the planes involved were Virgin 747s, which needed priority landing after flying in from America.

However, Virgin Atlantic said that neither of the planes - called Jersey Girl and Hot Lips - issued maydays, but had been diverted from Gatwick due to high winds.

A spokesperson said: "Due to severe and abnormal weather conditions, two flights in January 2012 were diverted to Stansted.

"Our fuel management procedures are approved by the CAA and comply with all industry regulations."

On the same day, an Embraer 190 was diverted to Southampton and put out a mayday over fuel.

Alarmingly, the Civil Aviation Authority has revealed that, in the last two years, there have been at least 28 cases of UK passenger airlines having low-fuel emergencies while flying to British airports.

Of these, three were mayday calls made in the first five months of 2012.

The Daily Mail reports that commercial passenger airlines are legally required to have enough fuel to reach their destination and perform a 'go-around' - where the landing is aborted and the plane flies around the airport for another attempt - and divert to another airport as well as staying in a holding pattern for 30 minutes.

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