Passengers were evacuated onto the tarmac at Manchester Airport this morning after their flight made an emergency landing. The incident involved an Aer Lingus service travelling from Bridgetown, Barbados.
Flight Makes Unscheduled Landing
The aircraft, operating as Aer Lingus flight EUK930, was forced to divert and touch down at the Manchester hub following reports of a technical fault. Data from the flight tracking service Flightradar24 showed the Airbus A330-302 on the ground on the airport's south runway in the aftermath of the landing, which occurred on the morning of Monday, 29 December 2025.
Hydraulics Problem Sparks Safety Protocol
Initial social media reports indicated a flight from Barbados had executed an emergency landing. It was later confirmed that the decision was prompted by a concern related to the plane's hydraulic systems. A spokesperson for Manchester Airport told reporters that the aircraft experienced a "technical issue affecting the hydraulics".
As a standard safety precaution, all travellers on board were disembarked directly onto the airfield next to the runway. The airport authority emphasised that "there was never any concern for safety" throughout the procedure, crediting the crew's handling of the situation.
Response and Ongoing Situation
Emergency services were understood to be in attendance as a routine measure. The focus quickly shifted to safely moving the passengers from the runway to the terminal and assessing the aircraft. The Mirror has reached out to Aer Lingus for an official statement regarding the incident and the welfare of those on board.
While such events are rare, they highlight the robust safety protocols in place at major UK airports like Manchester. The incident is likely to cause some disruption to the airport's schedule as operations on the south runway are affected.
