Aer Lingus flight EI030 Airbus A330-302 reg. G-EILA, operating from Bridgetown, Barbados, to Manchester Airport, declared a precautionary emergency and made a safe landing at Manchester Airport on 29 December 2025 after the crew reported a technical issue suspected to involve the aircraft’s hydraulic system during descent. Emergency services, including fire and rescue teams, were positioned alongside the runway ahead of the arrival as a standard safety precaution.
Upon touchdown, the Airbus A330 came to a controlled stop on the runway, where emergency personnel completed inspections. All 261 passengers and crew disembarked safely via stairs and were transported to the terminal by buses; there were no reported injuries.
Manchester Airport later confirmed that the landing and subsequent runway inspections were conducted in accordance with established safety protocols in response to the reported hydraulics alert. Standard procedures for such technical concerns include enhanced emergency response presence.
The aircraft was temporarily held on the runway, causing some schedule disruption and delays to other operations as runway capacity was managed around the precautionary response. Aer Lingus has initiated engineering inspections on the aircraft to identify and address the specific fault before returning it to service.
Image: Flightradar24