A Ryanair flight from Pisa to Prestwick landed at Manchester Airport with only six minutes of fuel remaining, after three failed landing attempts in Scotland during Storm Amy. The incident has triggered a full investigation by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
Three failed landings before emergency diversion
The Boeing 737-800, operating as FR3418, first attempted to land twice at Prestwick Airport and once at Edinburgh, but strong crosswinds and turbulence from Storm Amy forced the pilots to abandon each approach.
With fuel rapidly depleting, the crew declared a mayday fuel emergency and diverted to Manchester — more than 175 miles away — where conditions were calmer.
According to flight logs obtained by The Guardian, the aircraft landed with just 220 kg of fuel remaining, equating to approximately five to six minutes of flight time. Aviation experts described this as “dangerously close to a catastrophe.”
Passengers describe “terrifying” flight
Travellers onboard spoke of repeated aborted landings and a tense atmosphere as the plane circled Scottish airspace before diverting south.
“We were shaking violently and thought we were finally touching down, but the engines roared and we shot back up,” one passenger said.
After landing safely in Manchester, passengers were transferred by coach to Prestwick, eventually arriving around 10 hours later than scheduled.
Ryanair and AAIB respond
Ryanair confirmed that the flight had diverted due to adverse weather conditions and said it had fully cooperated with the AAIB.
The airline stated:
“Safety is Ryanair’s number one priority. The flight from Pisa to Prestwick diverted to Manchester due to high winds. The aircraft landed safely and in line with all EU safety standards.”
The AAIB has since opened a serious incident investigation, reviewing:
- Whether earlier diversion decisions could have prevented the emergency.
- How fuel planning and reserve margins were managed under storm conditions.
- Compliance with fuel-reserve requirements under UK and EU aviation rules.
Broader implications for UK aviation
The near-miss highlights the operational risks posed by extreme weather, particularly during intense storms such as Storm Amy, which caused widespread disruption across the UK on 13 October 2025.
Airlines may now face calls for tighter fuel-reserve requirements and clearer diversion policies during storms to prevent future incidents.
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