Midair scare as cracked window forces emergency diversion back to airport

A passenger flight heading to a popular European destination made a sudden U-turn less than an hour into its journey.

British Airways Flight 2660 was traveling from London Gatwick Airport to Faro, Portugal, on Oct. 13 when the aircraft reversed course over France and returned to London, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.

A British Airways spokesperson told Fox News Digital the aircraft needed to divert following a "minor technical issue."

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"The aircraft diverted following a minor technical issue and landed safely back at London Gatwick," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"We have apologized to customers for the delay to their journey, and our teams worked hard to get their travel plans back on track."

A cracked window reportedly caused the diversion, though British Airways cited only an unspecified technical issue.

During the incident, the flight crew transmitted a 7700 emergency code, according to flight tracker AirNav Radar.

Steven Arroyo, an aviation safety expert and retired United Airlines captain based in Florida, told Fox News Digital that 7700 is a universal code pilots can enter into the aircraft's transponder to alert air traffic controllers to an emergency.

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"That lights up on the radar screen, and it lets air traffic control know there's an event going on," Arroyo said.

The code itself does not tell controllers exactly what is wrong, he noted. 

Pilots can then communicate with air traffic control about the nature of the problem and what assistance they might need.

Arroyo said aircraft passenger windows are made with multiple layers, so the seriousness of a crack depends on where the damage is located. 

In a more serious situation, damage could affect the aircraft's ability to maintain cabin pressure, Arroyo said. 

However, a crack can also be less severe and prompt crews to land as a precaution.

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When deciding whether to continue a flight or divert, Arroyo said crews consider several factors, with safety taking priority.

Returning to Gatwick would allow the pilots to land before the cracked window could worsen, he said.

Arroyo advised any passengers who spot window damage to alert a flight attendant rather than assuming they know it exists.

"The pilots want this kind of information," he said, noting that passengers can help cabin crews identify something that may need further attention.

Fox News Digital previously reported on another midair window incident that took a more serious turn aboard a Ryanair flight in July.

A passenger window became dislodged shortly after the aircraft departed Thessaloniki, Greece, and a 61-year-old passenger was nearly pulled outside during the resulting loss of cabin pressure. 

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Other passengers helped pull him back inside, according to reports.

The aircraft returned safely to Thessaloniki, while the passenger was taken for medical treatment with neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns.

Andrea Margolis of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.