In the last 30 minutes, Jet2 flight LS980 from Lanzarote declared an emergency whilst on the descent into Manchester.
Information is limited surrounding the incident.
Below is what we know on this so far…
Jet2 LS980 Lanzarote-Manchester…
Jet2 flight LS980, which declared the emergency, is a routine scheduled flight between Lanzarote and Manchester.
Furthermore, the aircraft involved in the incident was G-SUNU.
As per data from Planespotters.net, G-SUNU is a 0.6 year old Airbus A321neo that was delivered to Jet2 back in July 2025.
Furthermore, of the A321neo variant, Jet2 has 24 of them in their fleet.
Of the 24, all of them are in active service, with an average fleet age of 1.3 years.
As well as the A321neo, Jet2 has the following other aircraft in their fleet:
- 3 Airbus A321ceos.
- 100 Boeing 737 Family aircraft.
In total, the airline has 127 aircraft in their fleet, of which 113 are in active service and 14 are parked, with an average fleet age of 13.7 years.
Jet2 flight LS980, which declared the emergency, departed Lanzarote at 1555 local time on February 3 and headed towards Manchester.
Everything was normal in the flight, until during the descent phase into the UK airport.
The aircraft squawked 7700, the general emergency code, at around 10,000 feet.
From there, the aircraft was given priority to enter the 05s into Manchester Airport, landing safely without further incident at 2003 local time.
Reason for the Emergency: Pilot Incapacitated
The transponder squawk code 7700 is the universal signal for a general emergency in aviation.
When a pilot selects 7700, it alerts all air‑traffic control facilities in range that the aircraft is facing a serious, time‑critical problem—such as engine failure, fire, rapid depressurisation, or a major medical issue.
ATC immediately prioritises the aircraft, clearing airspace, offering vectors, and coordinating emergency services if needed.
Unlike codes for specific situations (like 7500 for hijacking or 7600 for radio failure), 7700 is a broad distress call used whenever safety is at immediate risk and the crew needs urgent assistance.
As per @FlightEmergency on X, it is understood the reason for the emergency is due to a pilot being incapacitated.
No additional information has been given on this.
As soon as we have more information, then we will update you below.
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