Two British Airways A380 Flights Make Unexpected 10-Hour U-Turns Due to Niger’s Airspace Closure

Two British Airways flights operated by Airbus A380s were forced to make abrupt U-turns over Africa on August 6th due to the unexpected closure of Niger’s airspace. The flights, which were en route from London to Johannesburg and vice versa, ended up flying for more than 10 hours without reaching their destinations.

The closure of Niger’s airspace was a result of the political unrest in the country following a military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July. The Ecowas regional bloc, consisting of 15 African states, threatened military intervention to restore the democratically elected leader. Consequently, the ruling junta, led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, decided to close the country’s airspace to overflying aircraft.

Niger, a strategically located country in Central Africa, plays a vital role in air routes between Europe, Southern Africa, and other parts of the continent. However, the airspace closure created a block that extended from western Niger to the Red Sea, encompassing Sudan and Libya.

This situation presented a significant challenge for British Airways, as two A380s were in the air when the airspace closure took effect. Unfortunately, there were no nearby airports equipped to accommodate the large A380 aircraft for refueling or continuation of their journey. Additionally, the airline avoids flying over Libyan airspace due to safety concerns.

As a result, the pilots had no choice but to turn back to their departure airports. The flight from Johannesburg to London reached Chad before making a U-turn and landing back in Johannesburg after 10.5 hours. The London to Johannesburg flight reached southern Algeria before returning to London after 8.5 hours of flying.

Passengers on board were not entitled to compensation, as the diversion was considered an extraordinary circumstance beyond the airline’s control. Despite this, British Airways apologized for the disruption and inconvenience caused by the situation. Subsequent flights were rerouted over Nigeria and Angola to avoid Niger’s closed airspace.

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