Page 3 | Emergency Landing

IcyPuddles · 2025-12-01T16:40:05+00:00

A post elsewhere got me thinking - has anyone ever been on a plane that needed to make an emergency landing? What happened and why? I never have but my parents once had to emergency land in France because the plane oven caught fire.

Chersfrozenface · 02/12/2025 07:02

custardcreamsrock · 02/12/2025 00:27

Thankfully never, and I like others have been on plenty of flights, however has anyone ever been to Sardinia, holy shit i wouldn’t want to go through that again, sweet Jesus, upon hitting the tarmac the cabin crew should have changed the announcement to ‘ please stay in your seat until the seatbelt sign goes off and remember to pick your Arse up from under your seat where it fell out during landing’ 😱😱😱

Which airport was it - Cagliari, Olbia or Alghero?

I don't remember Cagliari being too bad.

Sardinia does have a lot of very spiky bits, mind.

HelloCharming · 02/12/2025 07:14

@SwordToFlamethrower you should write a book.

TheNightingalesStarling · 02/12/2025 07:18

Not an emergency landing, but an emergency on landing.... the plane veered of the runway. It all seemed very normal pn landing until suddenly the plane started bouncing around (as we went onto the grass) and then came to a stop in the middle of nowhere instead of at the buildings.

Silverbirchleaf · 02/12/2025 07:24

SwordToFlamethrower · 01/12/2025 23:52

It's a mixture of two worlds really. I went in May 2021 and I'll never forget the lilac trees. Thousands of them that lined the streets and roads. And they all in flower. The scent was incredible lilacs are my favourite flowers so it was very conforting.

The housing was all the same. All. The. Same. These monstrosity concrete Soviet era high rise blocks of flats. Every block exactly the same. Every block had its own supermarket block and even its own discotheque building. Every block had a playground with the EXACT same layout and exact same play equipment. So you could walk 20 miles and feel like you've gone nowhere because everything was the same. The same size and design green spaces. All copy pasted. All uniform. Everyone had the same. No more, no less.

There was no sugar free drinks or diet anything either. They sold coke and whatnot, but everything was normal full sugar. No diet. No zero options. They had no clue what you were talking about in that regard.

No one ever smiled. It isn't a thing. That's not to be rude about them. I got talking to a group of teenagers at the pizza stand in the supermarket and they spoke some English... they were delighted to chat to me as they had dreams of going to England or America one day and wanted to practice English. I asked them why people don't smile (as they were way more smiley) and they said "ah yes, this is because the old people remember what life was like when we were a communist country. Life was very hard for them and so it is hard for them to feel happy. But we young people are optimistic and happy." The boy had aspirations of being an airplane pilot. They helped me order a pizza. The Old ladies there, the babushkas made me laugh. They were exactly how I'd thought they'd be. Hard faced, hard working. They loved growing veggies in their green spaces and they sold some veggies on the street corners. There were old soviet era cars, like boxes. That were clearly beloved as they were very old, but the men could be seen tinkering with them. But also a mixture of more modern cars too.

People were very normal and I would have easily mistaken them to be British, in the way they dressed and looked. But they were Ukrainian. It was strange visiting a McDonalds. This very western modern building, in a very swanky shopping mall, which looked very out of place amongst the communist era architecture. The McDonald's was very popular. The mall itself had statues from London. Phone box, post box, a London Eye, a black taxi. It was fun.

The green spaces were really lovely. For some reason, I thought Ukraine was always cold, but the spring time was very similar in weather.

On my way home, in the kyiv airport, I couldn't help but notice a group of teenage boys I'd say 19 years old. They were coming on my flight and were looking at some papers they'd printed out. I was very nosy and looked over their shoulders. They had information about a veg picking job on a farm. Special visa to work in England where they would get lodgings included. They were looking to get minimum wage and someone was coming to pick them up at the London airport. I remember feeling so emotional because at that time, we were in the Brexit crisis and food was being spoilt never having any Europeans to pick the fruit and veg. And this massive strapping lads were leaving their home country to come do shit work in England where no one would appreciate them. I really got tearful and wanted to hug them (bit I didn't.)

I think about them often. Them and the children I saw having g a birthday party at the hotel I was staying at. I have no idea if any of them are alive or dead.

I think about them all often.

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Thank you. An interesting insight into the country. From your detailed description , I can tell it made a big impression on you.

TootsMaHoots · 02/12/2025 07:26

Yes, I was on a flight that made an emergency landing somewhere in Asia. The airport had a thatched roof and no walls. Well, not no walls at all but only some walls. We all had to get off and I have never known where we were. I think they must have said at the time but I was probably too scared to take it in. I was by myself.

FettleOfKish · 02/12/2025 07:33

Not sure about ‘emergency’ but I’ve had to return to JFK after 2 hours flying towards London because some the toilets weren’t working and they need a minimum amount available.

Countless aborted landings. We live in Jersey so it’s pretty common when it’s foggy or extremely windy. For one of them we were actually wheels down for a few seconds before lifting off again. Fun!

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 02/12/2025 07:42

Flying from US east coast to UK in a blizzard. The plane was running low on fuel so we ended up landing in Bermuda to refuel and de-ice the plane. It was dark and the smell of the de-icer fluid was very strong. It was poured over the plane by what looked like a water cannon. The whole process took hours but we had to stay on the plane. I was bitterly disappointed never to have actually set foot on Bermuda but happy that we didn’t get lost in the Bermuda Triangle.

Vinvertebrate · 02/12/2025 07:50

Scores of aborted landings, it’s really quite common. If there are Brits on the plane and drink has been taken, they (and only they) tend to cheer uproariously when the nose goes back up! It’s like a nationality test. The only one that really scared me was in a propellor plane heading back from Guernsey, where the pilot seemed to bounce a few times before binning off the landing! A 5 year old grassed me up to his dad for saying “fuck fuck shit bollocks” as we Tiggered along the runway.

The other one that really scared me was landing in an A380 years ago with a small fire in (I think) a tail pipe. The crew were incredible, but there is no fast way to deplane that many people (without chutes I suppose) and it was painfully slow, which could be dangerous. It put me off the novelty of sitting upstairs in a plane.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 02/12/2025 07:54

Yes! Airport fogged in. We circled for ages. Finally had to br diverted to a private airport for emerg landing as plane was almost out of fuel. Bizarrely, we were asked if we wanted to return to originating airport early on, no consensus, so we circled.

Yetegs · 02/12/2025 07:54

Bluespottedfrog · 02/12/2025 00:23

Yes Flying Leeds/Bradford to the Isle of Man on a twin engine plane. One of the engines went and apparently flying on just the other was an emergency. We went back to Leeds for an emergency landing. Everyone always asks did you come down the chutes? but the plane wasnt big enough. We just jumped out the door. Two blokes did stay to help others down.

Fire engines were waiting and paramedics there to check everyone was ok once back in the terminal but I went for a wee and missed my check!

I think a lot of people think emergency landing automatically means you have to use the slides! No idea why! I have friends who are cabin crew and emergency landing can mean many things. The pilot being taken ill is an emergency landing. But obviously you wouldn’t use the slides for that! You just disembark normally. I think most people think emergency landing = brace position and fire or other risk of death etc. My friend has had engine failure happen twice on her flights (in 20 years). They just land at the nearest airport and disembark normally.

HelpMeGetThrough · 02/12/2025 07:56

Yep, couple of years ago. There was an engine failure. I had a wing seat and watched the engine power down (turbo prop) and thought, that’s not right.

I did my PPL years ago, so knew we were ok, but they got us down sharpish. There was no announcement until after we landed, so no panic from anyone on the plane.

notimagain · 02/12/2025 07:59

Yetegs · 02/12/2025 07:54

I think a lot of people think emergency landing automatically means you have to use the slides! No idea why! I have friends who are cabin crew and emergency landing can mean many things. The pilot being taken ill is an emergency landing. But obviously you wouldn’t use the slides for that! You just disembark normally. I think most people think emergency landing = brace position and fire or other risk of death etc. My friend has had engine failure happen twice on her flights (in 20 years). They just land at the nearest airport and disembark normally.

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Yep, there are risks associated with the slides so they only get used if you absolutely have to get people out of the aircraft.

Jannie62 · 02/12/2025 08:18

Vinvertebrate · 02/12/2025 07:50

Scores of aborted landings, it’s really quite common. If there are Brits on the plane and drink has been taken, they (and only they) tend to cheer uproariously when the nose goes back up! It’s like a nationality test. The only one that really scared me was in a propellor plane heading back from Guernsey, where the pilot seemed to bounce a few times before binning off the landing! A 5 year old grassed me up to his dad for saying “fuck fuck shit bollocks” as we Tiggered along the runway.

The other one that really scared me was landing in an A380 years ago with a small fire in (I think) a tail pipe. The crew were incredible, but there is no fast way to deplane that many people (without chutes I suppose) and it was painfully slow, which could be dangerous. It put me off the novelty of sitting upstairs in a plane.

“Fuck fuck shit bollocks” perfectly understandable, under the circumstances. Thanks for my first giggle of the day!

notimagain · 02/12/2025 08:30

Worth bearing on mind (as pps have hinted at) that things like unscheduled landings/diversions, go-arounds, rejected landings (where you touch down then take-off again) are almost routine, trained for and aren't reaĺly emergencies.

Even a straight forward engine run down usually ends in a normal landing on the remaining engine(s), though if you were on a two engined aircraft an emergency would be declared to ATC to get priority.

From an admin/crew POV it's only really when there's a risk of the aircraft leaving the paved surface after touchdown or there's significant smoke/fire that your really into Emergency landing territory..most crews go through whole careers without having to prep for one for real, or get involved in one for real.

HelloCharming · 02/12/2025 08:40

One in the Amazon where we must have arrived early as they were still mowing the runway, had to go round, very small plane, till the bloke had cleared off.

heartofsunshine · 02/12/2025 08:46

We had to divert due to a drunk couple having a fight. It was a nightmare and we all ended up delayed by 3 days.

SwordToFlamethrower · 02/12/2025 09:16

ScaredOfFlying · 02/12/2025 00:24

@SwordToFlamethroweramazing posts. Was the IVF successful?

That round failed. Found that out while I was still in kyiv. That was horrible. Round 6 worked in February 2022.

KimberleyClark · 02/12/2025 09:21

Not really an emergency, but on the way back to Heathrow from Brussels, the (female) pilot had to land at night in a crosswind and driving rain. The plane was rattling like a stuck cutlery drawer, but she did it.

notimagain · 02/12/2025 09:30

That's not an emergency at all, in any way shape or form, it's part and parcel of the job.

I know I have previous for being picky/awkward on stuff like this and I'm sorry to start sound like it now but there's a reason.

People must know by now that there a hell of a lot of nervous flyers around, certainly on Mumsnet...so running a thread labelled "emergency landing" that quickly expands to contain tales of what are objectively mostly normal approaches/normal landings really starts giving the twitchy the wrong impression.

Yetegs · 02/12/2025 09:37

notimagain · 02/12/2025 09:30

That's not an emergency at all, in any way shape or form, it's part and parcel of the job.

I know I have previous for being picky/awkward on stuff like this and I'm sorry to start sound like it now but there's a reason.

People must know by now that there a hell of a lot of nervous flyers around, certainly on Mumsnet...so running a thread labelled "emergency landing" that quickly expands to contain tales of what are objectively mostly normal approaches/normal landings really starts giving the twitchy the wrong impression.

Yeah my friend who has worked for British airways for over 20 years has only had ONE flight EVER she actually felt a bit worried on and that was due to extreme turbulence. She’s had 2 (what is classed as) emergency landings and they were still just standard landings. She obviously never even mentions failed landings or bad weather diversions as they’re so normal day to day!

anxiousflyer · 02/12/2025 09:46

notimagain · 02/12/2025 09:30

That's not an emergency at all, in any way shape or form, it's part and parcel of the job.

I know I have previous for being picky/awkward on stuff like this and I'm sorry to start sound like it now but there's a reason.

People must know by now that there a hell of a lot of nervous flyers around, certainly on Mumsnet...so running a thread labelled "emergency landing" that quickly expands to contain tales of what are objectively mostly normal approaches/normal landings really starts giving the twitchy the wrong impression.

In my book, if the cabin staff look worried and the pilot announces we are making an emergency landing, as in my case, then it is an emergency landing, though I take your point.

WinterHangingBasket · 02/12/2025 09:49

My husband had an emergency landing in a military plane. They got to somewhere over the Irish Sea, dumped their fuel and turned back to Brize. I can't recall what was wrong with the plane but they were evacuated down the chutes onto the tarmac. His main comment was that the chutes appeared to be designed for smaller arses than his, based on the way he got bounced over the side with the speed the crew got them off the plane!

notimagain · 02/12/2025 09:56

anxiousflyer · 02/12/2025 09:46

In my book, if the cabin staff look worried and the pilot announces we are making an emergency landing, as in my case, then it is an emergency landing, though I take your point.

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Yep, if there's an actual pre-notified emergency on the cards there's a whole protocol for crews to go through and the passengers will be told the situation is not normal.

That is incredibly rare and most crewmembers will only ever go through the motions during initial and then annual recurrent training.

Yetegs · 02/12/2025 09:57

anxiousflyer · 02/12/2025 09:46

In my book, if the cabin staff look worried and the pilot announces we are making an emergency landing, as in my case, then it is an emergency landing, though I take your point.

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My cabin crew friend said they have always been told in advance if there’s going to be an emergency landing and what the emergency is. She’s obviously always technically a bit “worried” as things can and do go wrong but in most cases crew should be well informed and aware if it is a standard “emergency” or an actual emergency. My friend wouldn’t be (and wasn’t) worried when one engine had failed or the pilot was taken ill. Both scenarios aren’t necessarily risky landings and you disembark the plane totally normally. Maybe young or inexperienced cabin crew could feel a bit nervous in those situations but they do get taught these things when training. My friend was more irritated that in one case when they got stuck at the airport in France overnight because there wasn’t another plane ready in time to get everyone home and she didn’t have any overnight clothes as she wasn’t meant to be doing an overnight and her son had to stay at his grandparents for the night.

I could imagine crew getting nervous if they were warned they may need to use the slides or do a full hard core evacuation etc. Like if there was smoke in the cabin and a risk from things like that. But the word emergency really will sound worse to passengers than crew in most cases as the crew should be trained and fully aware of what the actual emergency is.

anxiousflyer · 02/12/2025 16:41

Yetegs · 02/12/2025 09:57

My cabin crew friend said they have always been told in advance if there’s going to be an emergency landing and what the emergency is. She’s obviously always technically a bit “worried” as things can and do go wrong but in most cases crew should be well informed and aware if it is a standard “emergency” or an actual emergency. My friend wouldn’t be (and wasn’t) worried when one engine had failed or the pilot was taken ill. Both scenarios aren’t necessarily risky landings and you disembark the plane totally normally. Maybe young or inexperienced cabin crew could feel a bit nervous in those situations but they do get taught these things when training. My friend was more irritated that in one case when they got stuck at the airport in France overnight because there wasn’t another plane ready in time to get everyone home and she didn’t have any overnight clothes as she wasn’t meant to be doing an overnight and her son had to stay at his grandparents for the night.

I could imagine crew getting nervous if they were warned they may need to use the slides or do a full hard core evacuation etc. Like if there was smoke in the cabin and a risk from things like that. But the word emergency really will sound worse to passengers than crew in most cases as the crew should be trained and fully aware of what the actual emergency is.

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There was no warning in this instance, the plane just dived as the cabin crew were serving drinks. They ran down the aisle past me with it (literally down as the plane was diving.) Turned out to be the cabin pressure but nobody knew that at this point apart from the pilot. I presume there is some sort of code that is given but it was all so quick.