Malta Air 737 Jet Makes Emergency Landing in Manchester Due to Low Fuel

A Malta Air-operated flight from Italy to Scotland was forced to make an emergency landing in Manchester after coming dangerously close to running out of fuel—just minutes away from engine shutdown, according to reports.

Flight FR3418, a Boeing 737-800, operated by Malta Air on behalf of Ryanair, departed Pisa Galileo Galilei Airport en route to Glasgow Prestwick Airport on Friday, October 3. Severe winds and stormy weather across the United Kingdom forced multiple failed landing attempts, culminating in a fuel emergency that led to a diversion to Manchester International Airport.

According to The Herald (Scotland), the aircraft issued a “fuel Mayday” warning while en route after exhausting nearly all of its reserves. Flight data from FlightRadar24 confirmed that the aircraft broadcast the emergency code “Squawk 7700”, indicating a serious in-flight emergency — in this case, a critically low fuel situation.

Multiple Failed Landings Amid 100-MPH Winds

The aircraft’s ordeal began as Storm Amy battered the U.K. with winds of up to 100 mph. The pilot initially attempted to land at Prestwick twice but was forced to abort both approaches due to unstable wind conditions.

Passenger Alexander Marchi, who was aboard the flight, said that the first landing attempt felt turbulent but manageable—however, the second attempt caused visible concern among passengers.

“Everyone was calm until the descent; we were being buffeted around a lot and jumping,” Marchi said. “There were a few worried people on the second descent as we could feel the plane was struggling.”

Following the failed attempts, the crew diverted to Edinburgh Airport, only to face similar turbulence. Running critically low on fuel, the pilot then decided to divert south to Manchester, where the aircraft landed safely nearly two hours after its initial approach to Prestwick.

Just Minutes of Fuel Remaining

According to The Herald, the jet landed with approximately 220 kilograms of fuel remaining—well below regulatory minimums. This amount is estimated to sustain flight for just five to six minutes, compared with the mandatory 30-minute fuel reserve required under international aviation safety regulations.

In a statement, Ryanair confirmed the incident and said it had been reported to authorities:

“Ryanair reported this to the relevant authorities on Friday (October 3). As this is now the subject of an ongoing investigation, which we are cooperating fully with, we are unable to comment further.”

The U.K. Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has launched a formal investigation into the incident.

“The AAIB has commenced an investigation into a serious incident involving an aircraft which was diverted from Prestwick to Manchester Airport on Friday, October 3,” the agency said. “Inspectors have begun gathering evidence and conducting interviews.”

Boeing 737-800’s Fuel Overview

For a Boeing 737-800, which burns roughly 2,500 kg (or 5,500 pounds) of fuel per hour in cruise, the 30-minute final reserve typically equates to around 1,250 kg (2,750 pounds). However, an airline’s dispatchers and flight management systems often plan with more fuel than the absolute minimum.

Based on international flight regulations, the standard final reserve fuel for a Boeing 737-800 is 30 minutes of holding fuel. This applies to both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In addition to this mandatory final reserve fuel, commercial flight plans must account for several other fuel components:

Trip Fuel: The fuel required to fly from the departure airport to the destination.
Contingency Fuel: Extra fuel, typically 5% of the trip fuel, to account for unforeseen factors like unexpected weather, flight delays, or air traffic control re-routing. Some operators can reduce this amount to as low as 3% if they have advanced weather and fuel monitoring systems.
Alternate Fuel: Fuel to fly from the destination airport to a pre-selected alternate airport, in case the destination is unavailable.
Final Reserve Fuel: The 30 minutes of holding fuel that is required by law.
Pilot discretion: Pilots also have the authority to request more fuel than planned if they believe it is necessary for safety.
Landing fuel: While the minimum regulatory reserve on a 737-800 is around 4,000 pounds, many pilots prefer to land with 5,000 pounds or more in the tanks.

A Serious Safety Reminder

While no injuries were reported, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the thin margin for error in modern aviation operations. Extreme weather conditions—like the gale-force winds brought by Storm Amy—combined with repeated landing attempts and fuel management challenges, can quickly push even well-trained crews and advanced aircraft to their operational limits. Aviation safety experts emphasize that this event highlights the growing need for enhanced real-time weather forecasting, improved diversion planning, and stricter fuel reserve oversight.

According to former pilots and regulators, the Ryanair case will likely be studied closely by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to assess how decision-making and communication unfolded during the sequence of diversions. Factors such as weather updates, air traffic control advisories, and company fuel policies will be key in understanding how a commercial jet came within minutes of fuel exhaustion.

Experts also point out that this near-miss underlines the importance of balancing cost efficiency with operational safety. As airlines continue to optimize flight routes and fuel loads to minimize emissions and expenses, adverse conditions can create unexpected vulnerabilities. In this case, strong crosswinds, extended flight duration, and multiple approach attempts consumed far more fuel than anticipated, forcing the crew into a critical decision window.

For airlines, regulators, and flight crews, the Manchester diversion will likely become a case study in both crew resource management and fuel contingency planning, reinforcing the industry’s constant reminder: safety margins exist for a reason—and they should never be stretched too thin.
 
Related News: https://airguide.info/?s=ryanair, https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/travel-health-security/

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, theguardian.com, The Herald