Kenya Airways London-Nairobi Flight Makes U-Turn After Passenger Falls ill

Kenya Airways (KQ) confirmed on Monday evening that one of its flights travelling from London, United Kingdom, to Nairobi, Kenya, had to turn back due to a passenger experiencing a "medical emergency".

The flight had already covered a significant portion of the journey from London's Heathrow Airport to Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) when it decided to return to its original departure point. According to the national airline, the crew on board provided initial medical assistance to the passenger, but the decision was made by the Captain to go back to London for further medical attention.

"Kenya Airways Plc confirms that on Monday, 9th October 2023, at around 13:56hrs KQ100 operating from London to Nairobi, had to turn back to London’s Heathrow Airport for a medical emergency after a passenger was taken ill," KQ confirmed in a statement

The aircraft landed safely and medical personnel were present to receive the passenger at 14:47hrs. The individual was then taken to the hospital for further treatment. Kenya Airways has expressed its apologies for any inconvenience caused and emphasized that the safety of its crew and customers remains their top priority. Earlier flight tracking websites had reported that the Kenya Airways Boeing 787 had declared an emergency while passing over Paris.

The demand for the London flight route has increased, prompting Kenya Airways (KQ) to add two daily flights to its travel schedule. Effective Sunday, October 29, KQ will now have 14 flights a week, instead of the previous number of 10. Thursday, September 28 saw the announcement of this fresh schedule.