Bird Strike & Fumes In The Cabin: FAA Investigating British Airways Boeing 777-300ER Incident
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the British Airways Boeing 777-300ER incident. On April 26, 2025, the widebody aircraft reportedly experienced a bird strike and reported fumes in the cabin afterward.
- IATA/ICAO Code
- BA/BAW
- Airline Type
- Hub(s)
- ,听
- Year Founded
- 1974
The widebody aircraft landed safely after deciding to divert at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). The British Airways flight took off from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and was headed to听听(LHR).
The Flight Details
Photo: British Airways
On April 26, 2025, the听听Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, registered as G-STBD, operated Flight 216 from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) in the United Kingdom. However, due to a possible bird strike, the Boeing 777-300ER widebody was forced to make an emergency landing at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
After landing, the flight crew also reported fumes in the cabin. Despite this, the aircraft landed safely without further incident. It is worth noting that the aircraft in question was the airline鈥檚 13.5-year-old Boeing 777-300ER widebody, capable of seating up to 254 passengers in a four-class cabin layout: eight in first class, 76 in business class, 40 in premium economy, and 130 in economy class, as per ch-aviation data. In a statement, the US Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the incident, stating:
鈥淏ritish Airways Flight 216 landed safely at Boston Logan International Airport around 7:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 26, after the crew reported a possible bird strike and fumes in the cabin. The Boeing 777 departed Dulles International Airport and was headed to Heathrow Airport in London. The FAA will investigate.鈥
Passing The Torch To A380
Photo:听Austin Deppe | Shutterstock
According to flight tracking data from听, British Airways replaced its Boeing 777-300ER to accommodate passengers to their final destination. The airline continued the journey back to London on its Airbus A380 quadjet, registered as G-XLEK. The aircraft took off from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) more than two hours after the 777-300ER diversion.
The journey from Boston to London Heathrow took five hours and 51 minutes. It is worth noting that the carrier鈥檚 Airbus A380 is a much higher capacity double-decker, seating up to 469 passengers in a four-class cabin configuration: 14 in first class, 97 in business class, 55 in premium economy, and 303 in economy class, as per ch-aviation data.
Notably, the British flag carrier is one of the few airlines in the world still operating the world鈥檚 largest passenger aircraft. At present, British Airways has a total of 12 A380s in its fleet, with an average age of 11.1 years, as per ch-aviation. The British airline deploys its high-capacity airliners primarily on lucrative transatlantic routes.
British Airways' Fleet In 2025
Photo:听Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
The British flag carrier boasts one of the largest fleets in Europe and operates some of the most flights to the United States from Europe. The British Airways fleet, as with all fleets, is constantly evolving. According to听, it currently has a total of 295 aircraft. The British Airways group includes its regional subsidiaries, BA CityFlyer and BA EuroFlyer.
The carrier operates a wide variety of aircraft, including regional, narrowbody, and widebody planes. The most significant portion of its fleet consists of narrowbody aircraft, which includes 63 Airbus A320-200s, 30 Airbus A320neos, 26 Airbus A319s, 15 Airbus A321neos, and 11 wet-leased Airbus A321-200s. In its regional fleet, the British national carrier operates 20 wet-leased Embraer ERJ190 regional jets.
On the widebody side, British Airways operates 43 Boeing 777-200ERs, 16 Boeing 777-300ERs, 18 Airbus A350-1000s, 18 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, 12 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, 11 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, and 12 Airbus A380 four-engined aircraft.