Flights forced to divert in heavy winds - one even ended up 500 miles away

21 January 2024 , 22:54

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Flights had to land as far as 500 miles away due to "dangerous winds" (Image: FlightRadar24)

Flights were forced to land as far as 500 miles away during the "dangerous" gales wrought by Storm Isha.

A Ryanair flight heading for Dublin from Manchester had to change its course on Sunday afternoon. Instead of landing at Dublin International Airport, which had already warned about possible flight cancellations and delays, the plane landed nearly 500 miles away at Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport.

Some flights had to abort landings and fly hundreds of miles away to touch down safely. The UK was covered in severe wind warnings due to the storm, with people being advised not to travel due to the risk of 90mph gusts hitting the country. Air traffic control restrictions led to some flight cancellations at airports across the UK.

National Air Traffic Services (Nats) said: "Due to adverse weather conditions across the UK, temporary air traffic restrictions are in place. Restrictions of this sort are only every applied to maintain safety. Our teams are working closely with airports and airlines to minimise disruption. Passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline."

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Gales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts

FlightRadar24 data revealed the paths of several flights on Sunday. Others had to fly almost 500 miles away from their destination due to the 'dangerous' winds.

A Ryanair flight from Birmingham to Dublin was forced to divert to Manchester. A passenger on board, Joe Fenny, shared his terrifying experience on Twitter, saying: "The storm has caused massive winds in Dublin, they tried to land but the plane was genuinely swinging back and forth, it felt like stuff was hitting the sides of the plane." He added: "Genuinely one of the scariest experiences of my life. First time I've applauded a pilot. I could have kissed the bloke when we hit the tarmac in Manc."

One plane circled over Yorkshire before diverting to Manchester (FlightRadar24)

Another Ryanair flight, this time from Gdansk to Leeds, had to circle over Yorkshire multiple times before being diverted to Manchester Airport. It landed around 1pm.

A British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Belfast City also had to perform a dramatic diversion due to strong wind gusts. After circling over Northern Ireland, the flight aborted its landing and instead diverted to Manchester Airport, landing just before 6pm.

The flight path of the Ryanair flight from Birmingham to Dublin that was forced to divert (FlightRadar24)

Earlier that day, Manchester Airport stated there was no 'impact to operations' due to the weather warning. They advised passengers to contact their airline for more information about their flights.

Manchester Airport said in a statement: "An amber weather warning is in place today for high winds. There is no impact to airport operations. Passengers are advised to check with their airline for up-to-date flight information. Road and rail services may be impacted. Plan ahead and allow extra time and care for your journey to the airport."

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Ryan Fahey