A Jet2 flight from Bournemouth to Gran Canaria was forced to divert to Faro in Portugal after an 'aroma' was detected in the cabin, triggering a red code alert at the Algarve airport. The aircraft, carrying more than 140 passengers, landed safely with emergency services mobilised as a precaution.
Flight LS3643 departed Bournemouth at 9:55 am and was scheduled to arrive in Gran Canaria approximately three and a half hours later. However, the crew decided to divert to Faro after noticing the unusual smell in the cabin. Portuguese media reported that some crew members required assistance for smoke inhalation, though Jet2 disputed this.
A Jet2 spokesperson said: 'Our highly trained crew elected to divert to Faro as a precautionary measure after an aroma was detected in the cabin. At no point was safety compromised whatsoever, and the aircraft landed safely. A standby aircraft will fly customers from Faro to Gran Canaria, and we sincerely apologise for this delay.'
The incident follows a similar event in December last year, when another Jet2 flight from London Stansted to Fuerteventura was diverted to Faro due to an engine problem. That diversion also prompted a red alert and a significant emergency response, with 35 vehicles and more than 80 responders mobilised.
In a separate incident earlier that month, a Ryanair flight from Fuerteventura to Bristol was diverted to Lanzarote after a mid-air toilet malfunction. The aircraft landed safely after some toilets stopped working, according to local air traffic controllers.
