TUI FLIGHT FROM LANZAROTE DECLARES EMERGENCY BEFORE NEWCASTLE LANDING

A TUI flight from Lanzarote to Newcastle transmitted a 7700 "general emergency" squawk code at around 17,900ft shortly before landing in the early hours of Monday morning, flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 indicates. Flight BY1767 landed safely in the north east shortly after 1am. The nature of the emergency has not been established, and TUI has been contacted for comment. The aircraft had also departed late, taking off from Lanzarote at 9:24pm on Sunday rather than its scheduled 8:05pm.

The flight had been due to land in Newcastle at 12:30am on Monday but touched down at 1:16am instead, around 45 minutes behind schedule. A 7700 code can be entered by pilots to signal a range of possible problems to air traffic controllers. Aviation website SimpleFlying said: "It is a simple four-digit code entered into an aircraft's transponder that immediately alerts air traffic controllers that the flight is experiencing an emergency." It added that the issue "could involve an engine problem, smoke in the cabin, a medical emergency, or another serious situation", and that the code "helps ensure the aircraft receives priority handling and any assistance needed to reach the ground safely."

SimpleFlying also noted that cockpits use the code to alert ground crews that assistance may be required upon landing. The aircraft appears to have reached its intended destination of Newcastle Airport despite the delay. The cause of the 7700 code transmitted on Monday has not been confirmed. TUI had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.