On June 28, 2024, there was this pretty serious incident at London Gatwick with British Airways Flight BA2279. The plane, a Boeing 777-200ER heading to Vancouver, caught fire during takeoff. The cause? The co-pilot accidentally pushed the left thrust lever instead of the right one. Because of that, the engine power dropped suddenly, and the brakes on the right main landing gear got super hot and started to catch fire.
They tried to stop the plane when it was going really fast—around 186 mph—but it kept rolling until it hit 192 mph before finally stopping. Thankfully, Gatwick’s fire team jumped in quickly and put out the fire before things got worse. Everyone on board, all 347 people, were safe and unharmed, which is honestly the best part.
How It Affected Gatwick Airport
This event caused quite a mess at Gatwick for a bit. The main runway had to be shut down for about 50 minutes, which isn’t a small deal. Because of this:
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23 flights that were supposed to leave got canceled.
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16 flights coming in had to divert somewhere else.
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A lot of other flights got delayed too.
So, it definitely caused a lot of trouble for travelers that day, but the airport handled it as best as they could under the circumstances.
What the Investigation Found
The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) looked into what went wrong and said it was basically a human error called an “action slip.” That’s when someone does a normal action but messes it up by accident. The co-pilot was experienced and had rested well, so it wasn’t clear why it happened. The AAIB stressed that pilots need ongoing training to keep their skills sharp, especially the small things like motor skills that can stop mistakes like this from happening again.
It’s a reminder that even a tiny error in the cockpit can lead to serious situations, so constant training is super important.
British Airways’ Plans to Upgrade Their Fleet
On a different note, British Airways’ parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), made a big move by ordering 32 new Boeing 787-10 planes, spending around $13 billion. These new jets are part of a plan to update and grow their long-haul fleet. The 787-10s will replace older planes and should be better for fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. They’re expecting to get these planes between 2028 and 2033.
This upgrade fits into a bigger picture where IAG is bouncing back financially, making good profits early in 2025 thanks to higher ticket prices and cheaper fuel—even though fewer people in the U.S. are buying economy seats right now. Plus, they’re also getting new Airbus A330-900neos for other airlines they own, like Iberia and Aer Lingus, to modernize those fleets too.
Wrapping It Up
So yeah, British Airways had a scary moment with that fire on the plane, but no one got hurt, which is what really counts. Meanwhile, the airline and its parent company are looking ahead, investing big time in new planes to keep improving their services and fleet. It’s clear they want to move past the hiccups and focus on a smoother, more efficient future in the skies.
