A flight from Tenerife to Birmingham, England, took a sharp turn into the unexpected when a pilot experienced a sudden medical emergency, forcing the aircraft to make a landing in Porto, Portugal. According to PEOPLE, the Jet2 flight, identified as Flight LS1266, was diverted in the early hours of Friday, May 22.
Flight tracking data from Flight Aware indicates that the diversion happened a little more than three hours into the journey. A spokesperson of the company noted, “At no point was safety compromised, and customers subsequently continued their journey.” They added, “We would like to apologize to customers for this unforeseen delay.” However, the situation in the air was not anywhere near as calm.
As the situation developed in the cockpit, passengers reported seeing cabin crew members, in tears, moving through the aisles urgently. They were actively asking if there was anyone on board with medical training who could assist with an emergency. Additionally, the lights were flashing. For the roughly 220 passengers on board, the experience was jarring.
In the air, you have no control, making anything that happens a hundred times scarier
One unnamed passenger described the sudden shift in atmosphere: “My partner and I were asleep when we were awoken by chaos. Lights began flashing, and hostesses were visibly upset, seeking a doctor. Our 2-year-old began crying like many other children on board because the aircraft was dropping so quickly for an emergency landing.”
Another passenger echoed this sentiment, describing how they woke up to find the crew clearly distressed. Then the aircraft began a rapid descent, which caused significant alarm among the travelers.
I hate flying & this is one of the reasons why..
— Donna Louise (@DonnaLouise1212) May 24, 2026
A jet2 aircraft travelling from Tennerife to Birmingham was forced to make an emergency landing in Portugal after the pilot had a suspected heart attack. Stewardess were apparantley running down the aisles asking if there was a… pic.twitter.com/vD68rzGpU2
The Boeing 737-86N touched down at Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport in Porto at 2:11 AM on Friday, May 22. Emergency services were waiting on the runway, and medics boarded the aircraft immediately to treat the pilot before transporting him to a nearby hospital.
The airline has maintained that the pilot was simply feeling unwell. Some passengers claimed that they were given different information by the crew. The pilot had suffered a heart attack in the cockpit.
Jet2 pilot suffers suspected heart attack at 30,000ft, forcing emergency landing in Portugal.
— Grifty (@TheGriftReport) May 24, 2026
Flight LS1266 carrying up to 220 passengers was en route from Tenerife to Birmingham when the captain was suddenly taken seriously ill at cruising altitude.
Passengers described waking… pic.twitter.com/yTrFPpAMUk
The ordeal did not end for the passengers once they were safely on the ground. Per The Standard, the travelers were left waiting for approximately 13 hours at the airport before they could finally continue their trip back to the United Kingdom.
One passenger explained that they were stranded in Portugal for over 13 hours without accommodation. They noted that the airline wouldn’t even let them off the plane for over an hour.
That is a terrifying situation for everyone on board. A pilot suffering a medical emergency at 30,000 feet is any passenger's worst nightmare. The immediate priority is the well-being of the pilot and the safe handling of the aircraft by the remaining crew.
— Bright Harry (@harry_brig) May 23, 2026
After that, they were left to wander around the airport. The passenger added that they were told accommodation was too expensive.
To get everyone home, Jet2 eventually flew a replacement pilot out from Manchester to Porto to complete the journey. Even with the stress of the delay and the lack of hotel arrangements, the passengers expressed understanding for the pilot, with one stating that they have full sympathy for him.
Hi Rebecca, we’re really sorry for the delay you're facing. Flight LS1266 has been delayed due to unforeseen operational reasons. We are working on the situation and will have you on your way as soon as we can. Thanks, Jake
— Jet2tweets (@jet2tweets) January 13, 2024
The airline communicated with some passengers on X by stating the delay was due to unforeseen operational reasons. Since then, they have not provided further details on the specific nature of the medical event beyond their initial statement.
This isn’t the first time there has been a medical emergency in the air; just one month ago, two off-duty paramedics helped with two separate emergencies mid-air. Of course, sometimes there are funnier emergencies, like the toilets being out of service.
