A TUI Boeing 787 carrying 300 holidaymakers came within 20 minutes of running out of fuel during Storm Gerrit, air accident investigators have revealed.
The aircraft was forced to declare a mayday emergency whilst attempting to land in severe weather conditions over northwest England in December 2023.
"Mayday, mayday, mayday, Tomjet one-seven-three, mayday, fuel," the captain desperately radioed to air traffic control during the incident, which regulators have classified as "serious".
The aircraft was initially bound for Manchester from Cancun, Mexico, on its 5,000-mile journey when Storm Gerrit forced a change of plans.
A TUI Boeing 787 carrying 300 holidaymakers came within 20 minutes of running out of fuel during a storm
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After encountering wind gusts of up to 53mph, the flight was diverted to East Midlands Airport.
However, the Boeing was too large for the regional airport's facilities, forcing a second diversion to Birmingham.
The flight ultimately remained airborne for nearly an hour longer than its scheduled eight hour 45 minute journey time.
Upon landing in Birmingham, investigators found the aircraft's fuel tanks contained just 1.2 tonnes of kerosene.
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The aircraft almost ran out of fuel during Storm Gerrit
Getty ImagesThis was significantly below the legal minimum requirement of 1.9 tonnes that aircraft must maintain upon landing.
By law, all airliners must carry a "final reserve" of 30 minutes of fuel, plus additional fuel to account for potential air traffic control delays or adverse weather conditions.
This final reserve is strictly meant to remain unused except in the most extreme circumstances.
The AAIB investigation found the commander had requested only 15 minutes of extra fuel, incorrectly believing strong winds would dissipate by 0600 hours.
The aircraft was initially bound for Manchester from Cancun, Mexico
PEXELSInvestigators noted the crew could have loaded "significantly more fuel" given the aircraft's weight.
"The consequential reduction in fuel remaining had the effect of reducing the options available to achieve a safe landing if the aircraft had encountered windshear on the second approach," the AAIB report stated.
The watchdog confirmed that safety measures have since been implemented regarding airport capacity for diversions and emergency prioritisation.
The incident was further complicated at Birmingham Airport when air traffic controllers allowed a Wizz Air flight to land ahead of the fuel-critical TUI aircraft.
This decision nearly doubled the flight path distance that had been initially communicated to the TUI pilots.
The extended route put additional strain on the aircraft's already depleted fuel reserves, as it joined a queue of up to seven aircraft waiting to land.
