A TUI flight carrying 301 individuals, including 10 crew members, faced a serious emergency on December 20, 2023, when it came alarmingly close to running out of fuel while attempting to land in the UK. The Boeing 787, designated as flight TOM173, had departed from Cancun, Mexico, at 5.50pm local time for an overnight journey to Manchester. As the aircraft approached its destination, high winds forced a diversion to Birmingham Airport.

The flight was scheduled to arrive in Manchester at 7.35am, but upon initial contact with Manchester Air Traffic Control at 7.18am, the crew were informed of significant delays due to severe weather conditions, with winds recorded at around 32mph and gusts reaching 47mph. The air traffic controller indicated that the aircraft would have to circle above the airport before being cleared to land, with no estimated wait time available.

To prepare for potential turbulence, the crew had prudently decided to load an additional 2,170lbs of fuel before take-off, which equated to about 15 minutes of flying time, given the anticipated weather disruptions. However, this precaution was insufficient. By the time the aircraft diverted at 7.41am, it was reported to be 35% below the recommended final reserve fuel limit, indicating a precarious situation with less than an hour’s worth of fuel remaining.

After being informed that East Midlands Airport would not accommodate such a large aircraft, the pilot made the critical decision to redirect the flight to Birmingham. Upon contacting Birmingham radar, the pilot audibly declared an emergency: “TOM173 MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY, TOM173 MAYDAY FUEL,” indicating the urgency of their situation.

Initially cleared to land at Birmingham around 8.05am, the aircraft had to abort due to ongoing high wind conditions. The plane finally touched down at Birmingham Airport at 8.26am, having only 2,750lbs of fuel left, equivalent to approximately 20 minutes of flying time.

A report released by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has examined the incident in detail and highlighted that the air traffic controller at Birmingham did not prioritise the incoming flight adequately. The findings revealed that the controller was managing a complex workload and missed the opportunity to expedite TOM173’s approach while coordinating the repositioning of another aircraft.

The AAIB’s investigation underscored that while operators aim to minimise fuel loads to avoid higher burn penalties, the crew’s decision to carry limited fuel directly affected their safety options at the time of landing, especially when faced with the potential for wind shear on a second approach. The report specified that despite the crew’s understanding of anticipated winds, their belief that conditions would improve by the time of landing was incorrect.

In light of the findings, regulatory safety measures are being implemented to enhance the procedures for communicating airport capacities for flight diversions and improve the prioritisation of aircraft that declare emergencies.

TUI has been contacted for comment regarding the incident.

Source: Noah Wire Services