Qantas apologises to customers ‘stranded’ after flight forced to make emergency landing in Azerbaijan

The airline has apologised to customers stranded overnight in Baku and promised to get them to Singapore “as soon as possible”.

Qantas has apologised after a flight bound from London to Singapore made a “dramatic” diversion to Azerbaijan after a reported cardiac emergency.

A Qantas spokesperson said the flight was diverted to Baku in Azerbaijan “due to a medical incident onboard”.

The plane landed at Heydar Aliyev International Airport between Russia and Iran, leaving Aussie passengers stuck overnight.

“We apologise to customers for the disruption and are working to get them on their way to Singapore as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said.

A Qantas flight to Singapore has been diverted after a medical emergency. Picture: NewsWire/David Geraghty

The Baku diversion left the plane’s operating crew at their duty limit, meaning the flight could not continue onwards on the same day.

All customers on the Airbus A380 were provided with overnight accommodation, and the flight is expected to depart for Singapore later today.

Qantas does not normally operate from Baku, and delays are expected due to required routine maintenance.

A qualified A380 engineer is being flown in from London to conduct the inspections and certify the aircraft before it departs.

Speaking to the ABC, Australian doctor and passenger Hamish Urquhart said the flight was diverted after a woman in her 60s suffered a cardiac episode.
“The lady was really quite unwell and needed intravenous access while we were trying to land, which was a bit challenging,” Dr Urquhart explained, adding he was required to stabilise the woman alongside other medical professionals on-board.

He said the pilot had to make a “dramatic 180-degree-turn” to make a safe landing at the airport in Baku.

The pilot performed a 180-degree turn to land in Azerbaijan. Picture: FlightAware

A Qantas spokesperson told NewsWire there was no emergency landing made.

“Our QF2 London to Singapore service diverted to Baku in Azerbaijan earlier today due to a medical incident on-board,” they said.

More to come

Originally published as Qantas apologises to customers ‘stranded’ after flight forced to make emergency landing in Azerbaijan