Additional reporting by Rita Sobot
A Ryanair flight en route to Glasgow, Scotland from Tenerife in the Canary Islands was forced to turn back when a pilot became ill. The crew declared a mid-air emergency and had to return to Tenerife so the sick co-pilot could be treated. The incident happened just 13 minutes after the flight took off from the popular holiday destination. Air traffic controllers tweeted: “Flight from Tenerife South to Scotland returns in emergency due to medical problem of one of the pilots. Maximum priority.
“The route is cleared, medical attention is coordinated and the emergency protocol is activated.”
The plane did a U-turn and landed without burning fuel as is usually done when there is a technical problem to reduce the weight of the aircraft and facilitate the approach operation.
A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “This flight from Tenerife to Glasgow (April 7th) returned to Tenerife Airport shortly after take-off after the first officer became ill inflight.
“In line with procedures, the captain contacted ATC, the aircraft landed normally, and the first officer was met by medical personnel.
“Customers disembarked and departed to Glasgow shortly afterwards.”
A pilot for a UK airline explained to Express.co.uk what happens if a pilot gets sick during the journey.
Fortunately, there are always two pilots flying the plane – so there is always someone to fly the plane if one falls ill.
What’s more, the pilots are both trained to deal with such an eventuality.
“All pilots are trained to handle a ‘pilot incapacitation event’ where the other pilot is unable to continue their duties in-flight,” the pilot told Express.co.uk
“We will then fly the aircraft ourselves and divert to the nearest and most suitable airport.”
If the plane is very close to its destination, the pilot may decide it’s best to continue as planned, the pilot added.
The decision will be made according to the circumstances and what is the safest course of action.
‘Incapacitation’ can range from bad flu to ear blocks, and aren’t as dramatic as you might think.
A medical kit is on board the plane as well as a defibrillator that flight attendants are trained to use. There is also a direct radio telephone line to a live doctor who is on duty 24 hours a day should outside help be needed.
The pilot who is not sick will first focus on navigating the plane before coordinating the help of the on-call physician.
One pilot is perfectly capable of landing a plane and both are equally skilled, even if one might have more experience than the other.
Additional reporting by Rita Sobot
Ryanair axe key UK routes
In further Ryanair news, Ryanair has cancelled flights to Edinburgh and Belfast from London in a dramatic cut-back on services. The Irish aline currently offers four flights a day between London Stansted and Edinburgh.
In October, when the summer schedules have finished, however, Ryanair will operate just four flights a week. There will be no flights at all to the Scottish capital on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, reported The Independent.
