British Airways Flight Diverted Twice, Turning 11-Hour Trip into 23-Hour Ordeal

A British Airways flight from the Cayman Islands to the United Kingdom experienced a series of unfortunate events, turning a standard 11-hour journey into a nearly 23-hour ordeal after being diverted not once, but twice, CNN reports.

Passengers on board BA252 departed George Town, Grand Cayman, on schedule at 6:21 p.m. EST on Tuesday, April 8. The Boeing 777 made a brief stop in Nassau, Bahamas, to pick up additional passengers before embarking on its transatlantic journey.

However, approximately five hours into the flight, the plane was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, reportedly due to a passenger experiencing a medical emergency.

Gander is a town well known for its role during the September 11th attacks when it accommodated many planes that were rerouted in North American airspace following the attacks.

The diversion to Gander, however, was not the end of the flight’s troubles. Due to the accumulated delays, the flight crew was nearing their maximum permitted flying hours. As a result, the plane was forced to make a second unplanned stop in Reykjavik, Iceland. In Reykjavik, the crew disembarked and were replaced by a fresh team.

Finally, after an additional two and a half hours in the air, BA252 arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport at 10:38 p.m. local time on Wednesday, April 9. The total travel time clocked in at nearly 23 hours, more than double its usual duration.