Tuesday, August 27, 2024 A United Airlines 787-10 was forced to make an emergency landing in Edinburgh, Scotland, during its flight from Frankfurt to Chicago, United States. A United Airlines Boeing 787-10 had to make an unexpected diversion to Edinburgh, Scotland, just before commencing its transatlantic journey to Chicago, United States. The cause of the diversion is still unclear, but the airline has already arranged a departure flight from Scotland’s capital.
Unexpected Diversion to Edinburgh On August 27, at 9:03 local time (UTC +2), a United Airlines Boeing 787-10, registered as N12020, took off from Frankfurt Airport (FRA) on flight UA945 bound for Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). However, as the aircraft was traversing the skies over the United Kingdom, preparing for its transatlantic crossing, the United Airlines widebody jet altered its course northward, just south of Hull, East Yorkshire, UK. At the moment of diversion, the Boeing 787-10 had reached an altitude of 36,000 feet (10,972 meters), maintaining this level until it initiated its descent toward Edinburgh Airport (EDI), the selected diversion point.
Despite several major airports being in proximity, such as Birmingham Airport (BHX) and Manchester Airport (MAN), Edinburgh was ultimately chosen as the diversion destination. Emergency Declared: Squawking 7700 As the aircraft started its descent toward Edinburgh Airport, the United Airlines pilots activated the 7700 transponder code, signaling a general emergency onboard. Despite the emergency declaration, the Boeing 787-10 followed a standard descent profile, touching down at EDI at 9:45 local time (UTC +1) after nearly two hours in the air.
The routine descent suggests that cabin pressurization issues were unlikely, as the pilots would have descended to an altitude of 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) or lower if such problems had occurred. According to SKYbrary, a EUROCONTROL initiative, oxygen levels below 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) generally have minimal impact on pilots and healthy passengers. However, as altitude increases beyond this threshold, the adverse effects of reduced oxygen levels progressively intensify.
Departure from Scotland Although the exact reason for the aircraft’s diversion to Edinburgh Airport (EDI) remains unclear, the Boeing 787-10’s scheduled departure from Scotland suggests a potential medical diversion. Simple Flying has reached out to United Airlines for further details. According to Flightradar24, the 787-10 was set to depart EDI at 10:50.
Great Circle Mapper data indicates that the direct distance between Edinburgh and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is 3,226 nautical miles (5,974 kilometers). In addition to the diverted flight UA945 on August 27, United Airlines operates a second daily service between Frankfurt (FRA) and Chicago (ORD), designated as flight UA906, with a scheduled departure time of 12:45, according to Flightradar24..
