EasyJet flight takes off from wrong runway point at Luton airport
According to a report, the Easyjet flight bound for Spain was already in the air before its captain realized he had made a mistake at the take-off point.
Flight EZY2335, with 180 passengers and six crew on board, landed at Malaga Costa del Sol Airport on 13 June 2025 and returned to Luton Airport later the same day.
The aircraft was 65 ft (19 m) in the air when it cleared the runway and took off without incident, although the power settings were not adjusted.
A spokesman for the budget airline said: “We are aware of the report and have fully supported the AAIB in its investigation.”
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said the Airbus A320-214 initially planned to take off from a point on the runway called Intersection Alpha.
However, they did not have take-off performance considering the aircraft’s higher-than-normal weight and the environmental conditions controlled by the captain at the time.
They therefore agreed to make a calculation using the entire take-off permitting runway of Luton Airport.
Before the flight, three previous aircraft had departed Intersection Alpha but “the opportunity to highlight priority was missed” [to Air Traffic Control] less common full-length take-off requirement [position]” said the report.
Opportunities to take off from the right spot on the runway were missed “probably due to a combination of crew habitual behavior and confirmation bias”, the AAIB said.
It was also noted that the captain and co-pilot may be busy completing other tasks before takeoff.
An EasyJet spokesperson added: “[Our] “Pilots are trained to the highest industry standards and the safety and well-being of our customers and crew is EasyJet’s top priority.”
