A Ryanair-group flight caught in Storm Amy last October landed at Manchester with 363kg of fuel, about a third of the reserve it was required to keep, after three aborted landings and a diversion that Manchester Airport should have accepted the first time. That is the finding of the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch.
What happened on FR3418
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800 registered 9H-QBD and operated by Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air, was flying from Pisa to Glasgow Prestwick on 3 October 2025, according to the AAIB, Airliner World and AeroTime. Strong winds had been forecast as Storm Amy arrived.
At Prestwick the crew abandoned two approaches after windshear warnings. They asked to divert to Manchester and were turned down, so they went to Edinburgh, where a third windshear warning forced another go-around. The crew then declared an emergency and flew on to Manchester, where they landed safely, per the AAIB and Airliner World. Airliner World reports 171 passengers and six crew on board; nobody was hurt.
How close it was
Airliner World puts the fuel on landing at 363kg against a final reserve of about 1,100kg, and FlightGlobal reports the same 363kg; the AAIB describes the quantity as significantly below the final reserve. Early reporting gave an even lower figure, 220kg, which AeroTime equated to about six minutes of flying. The investigators’ number is the one to rely on.
Final reserve fuel is the floor a crew is expected to land above in any circumstances, roughly 30 minutes of flying according to AeroTime. Landing with a third of it means the fuel loaded, the choice of Edinburgh and the refused diversion together consumed margin that was never meant to be touched.
The Manchester refusal
The sharpest finding concerns the ground, not the cockpit. The AAIB found that Manchester should have accepted the first diversion request, and Airliner World reports that airfield control relayed that the handling agent was unable to take the aircraft. Manchester Airport has since restated that it accepts diversions whenever it has capacity and that the decision does not rest with a handling agent, according to the AAIB and Airliner World.
What is still unclear
The published summary does not explain why the refusal was relayed in the first place, or whether any procedure has changed beyond the airport’s restated policy. Ryanair has not published a response to the findings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much fuel did the Ryanair plane have when it landed in Manchester?
It landed with 363kg of fuel, well below a final reserve of about 1,100kg, according to Airliner World and FlightGlobal, and the AAIB called it significantly below reserve.
Why was the Ryanair flight refused at Manchester?
The AAIB found the diversion should have been accepted; Airliner World reports airfield control said the handling agent could not take the aircraft.
Sources
- AAIB Report: Boeing 737-800, 9H-QBD — Air Accidents Investigation Branch
- Ryanair 737 lands with just minutes of fuel after three go-arounds — Airliner World
- Ryanair 737 flight lands with six minutes of fuel left — AeroTime
- Malta Air 737 landed with critically-low fuel after airport erroneously rejected diversion — FlightGlobal