A Ryanair service from Birmingham to Tenerife on Dec. 28 returned to Birmingham after encountering severe turbulence about 40 minutes into the flight. The pilot declared an emergency (7700) while over the French coast and the aircraft landed safely back in Birmingham. Several passengers were shaken and a small number received medical treatment; the aircraft later resumed the Tenerife service that evening.
Ryanair Flight Forced Back to Birmingham After Violent Turbulence — Passengers 'Flung Out of Seats'
Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via GettyStock image of Boeing 737-800 Ryanair plane
A Ryanair flight from Birmingham to Tenerife on Dec. 28 encountered severe turbulence shortly after takeoff, forcing the aircraft to return to Birmingham Airport. Several passengers were shaken and a small number received medical attention after the plane landed.
Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via GettyStock image of Ryanair plane
What Happened
Flight FR1121 departed Birmingham at 3:05 p.m. and climbed to about 37,000 feet. Roughly 40 minutes into the flight, while flying over the French coast, the pilot declared an emergency by squawking 7700 and turned the aircraft back to Birmingham. The plane landed normally and passengers disembarked at the terminal.
Thierry Monasse/GettyStock image of Ryanair plane
Passengers described chaotic conditions inside the cabin as sudden jolts and strong wind forces struck. A 33-year-old passenger who asked not to be identified said people were "flung out of their seats" during the turbulence. Cabin crew told passengers they had not experienced anything like it in their combined 10 years of service.
'We were smooth cruising then out of nowhere, all of a sudden, the plane jerked to the left extremely quickly and then to the right, it felt like a loss of control, and then we plummeted down and we were flung out of our seats,' the passenger said.
Aftermath and Response
Ryanair confirmed the flight returned due to air turbulence and that a small number of passengers were provided with medical assistance at the terminal. The airline said the same aircraft later continued to Tenerife, departing Birmingham at 21:06 local time that evening. A Birmingham Airport spokesperson said the airport activated its standard operating procedures to support Ryanair and the affected passengers.
The event was reported by multiple U.K. outlets, including The Independent, Birmingham Live and the Daily Express, which relayed passenger accounts and the airline's statement.
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