Ryanair flight lands at Manchester with critical fuel shortage

An investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has revealed that a Ryanair Boeing 737 flight, carrying 171 passengers and six crew members, landed at Manchester Airport with only approximately six to nine minutes of fuel remaining.

The incident occurred on October 3, 2025, during Storm Amy. The flight, traveling from Pisa, Italy, to Glasgow Prestwick, encountered severe windshear during multiple landing attempts. After two unsuccessful attempts at Prestwick, the crew requested a diversion to Manchester. However, the request was initially denied due to a reported breakdown in internal communications at Manchester Airport, which led the aircraft to divert to Edinburgh instead.

Upon approaching Edinburgh, the crew encountered a third instance of windshear, forcing them to declare a ‘Mayday’ fuel emergency. The aircraft eventually diverted to Manchester, landing with 363 kilograms of fuel—significantly below the required safety reserve of 1,100 kilograms. Investigators noted that the crew had proactively taken on extra fuel to account for potential weather delays, a decision that likely prevented a total fuel exhaustion catastrophe.