Gatwick Airport was thrown into chaos this week after two passenger planes suffered mid-air emergencies just 60 seconds apart.
On Tuesday, a British Airways Boeing 777-200 bound for Cancun declared a full emergency at 3.29pm after toxic fumes filled the cabin.
Then, just seconds later, an easyJet Airbus A320 arriving from Madeira issued a "pan pan" alert following a bird strike at 3.30pm.
Gatwick's main runway was then forced to shut as emergency crews responded to both aircraft.
PA
|Both an easyJet and a BA flight suffered mid-air emergencies just seconds apart
As a result, passengers faced substantial delays, with some forced to stay in airport hotels overnight.
The BA flight had left Gatwick at 2.11pm for Cancun with 340 passengers and crew aboard when toxic fumes began filling the cabin, prompting oxygen masks to drop down mid-flight.
Passengers said the stench was "like used socks" which left several feeling dizzy, according to reports.
Pilots were then forced to open the cockpit's windows for fresh air while their aircraft circled the capital for 45 minutes to dump fuel before returning to base.
Emergency services were on standby as the plane touched down, with some passengers and crew said to have required medical treatment for exposure to the fumes.
MORE AIRPORT CHAOS:
- Britons warned of travel chaos at three UK airports as major European airline cancels more than 1,400 flights
- Ryanair flight forced to make U-turn after 'mid-air emergency' reported 192 miles into Tenerife trip
- Worst UK airport for delays announced with travel chaos warning for 40 million passengers
- EasyJet passenger grabs plane door and screams ‘bomb’ as pilot forced to make emergency landing
PA
|Passengers faced substantial delays and some were forced to stay in airport hotels overnight
The easyJet flight, carrying around 190 people from Funchal, suffered a bird strike which forced crew to issue a "pan pan" alert.
The aircraft requested a continuous descent and a "sterile runway" before landing safely at 3.30pm, just one minute after the BA flight's emergency touchdown.
Both incidents required thorough runway inspections - which only worsened the delays.
The BA jet was grounded for 24 hours while both it and the runway underwent thorough inspections.
It finally departed for Mexico the following day.
PA
|The BA jet was grounded for 24 hours while both it and the runway underwent thorough inspections
BA confirmed the plane landed safely after pilots found a "technical issue".
A spokesman added: "Our customers disembarked normally and we've apologised for the disruption to their travel plans."
An easyJet spokesman said: "The aircraft landed normally was met by emergency services in line with procedures, purely as a precaution.
"The safety of our customers and crew is easyJet's highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers' guidelines."