Passengers on British Airways flight BA252, a Boeing 777, faced a gruelling 23-hour trip from the Cayman Islands to London.
The flight left George Town on April 8, 2025, at 6:21 pm EST, planning a stop in Nassau, Bahamas. However, a medical emergency forced a detour to Gander, Canada.
After landing in Gander, the crew hit their legal flying-hour limit. For this reason, the plane couldn’t continue right away. Instead, British Airways rerouted it to Keflavik, Iceland, to pick up a fresh crew. Finally, on April 9 at 10:38 pm, BA252 reached London’s Heathrow Airport, per FlightRadar24.
Double Diversion Leaves Passengers On British Airways Plane For Entire Day https://t.co/I3AnY6nYlp pic.twitter.com/1fz5o88Ugd
— NDTV WORLD (@NDTVWORLD) April 12, 2025What Caused the British Airways BA252 Delays?
The British Airways BA252 saga stretched 11 hours longer than planned. The Nassau-to-London leg, starting at 10:24 pm EDT on April 8, took 19 hours total. First, the medical emergency required a five-hour detour to Gander. Then, the crew swap in Iceland added another two-and-a-half-hour leg.
Simon Calder, a travel expert at The Independent, called the Iceland plan the “least-bad option.” He noted that resting the crew in Gander was less practical. Meanwhile, passengers stayed onboard through the ordeal, testing their patience.
Air travel isn’t always smooth. For instance, a Bali-to-Melbourne flight turned back after a passenger tried opening a jet door mid-air. Similarly, an American Airlines plane in Georgia was evacuated due to smoke in the cabin. Another American Airlines flight from New York to Tokyo diverted to Dallas on April 7 after a maintenance issue, stranding travellers.
Despite these hiccups, airlines remain the safest way to travel. Millions fly daily without incident. The British Airways BA252 crew followed strict protocols, ensuring everyone’s safety.
