British Airways 777 returns to Heathrow following cabin pressure loss

A British Airways Boeing 777-200ER bound for Chicago turned back to London Heathrow on October 5, 2026. The crew reported a loss of cabin pressure and began an emergency descent over the Irish Sea.

Flight BA295, registered G-VIIA, was at 36,000 feet about 40 nautical miles south of Dublin when the descent started, according to an incident report cited by AeroInside. Passenger oxygen masks dropped, and the aircraft levelled at 9,000 feet roughly seven minutes later. The report put the drop at 27,000 feet over those seven minutes, an average of about 3,800 feet per minute.

British Airways said a technical issue caused the aircraft to turn back and that it landed safely. Passengers left the cabin by the usual process, the airline said, and staff were working to rebook onward travel.

The crew set the emergency transponder code 7700 before turning toward London. Tracking data showed the plane circling near southwestern Britain for a time before reaching Heathrow that afternoon, and it released fuel before landing, AeroInside reported.

Some early coverage described the aircraft as plunging. The available account describes an emergency descent begun by the pilots after the pressure loss. Cabin photographs showed masks hanging above passenger seats.