Two Delta Flights from Amsterdam to New York and Tampa Declares Emergency, Why?

AMSTERDAM— Two transatlantic flights operated by Delta Air Lines (DL) departing from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to the United States declared emergency signals over the United Kingdom airspace on July 21, 2025.

Delta flight DL47, bound for New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), and DL237 en route to Tampa International Airport (TPA) both issued squawk alerts while flying over the North Sea near the eastern coast of England.

Photo: Andrew E. Cohen | Flickr

Two Delta Flights Declared Emergencies in the Same Area

Both Delta Air Lines (DL) aircraft, operating from Amsterdam (AMS), raised alerts within minutes of each other while cruising westbound across the UK.

DL47, operated by an Airbus A330-302 registered N826NW, and DL237, an Airbus A330-323 registered N819NW, issued squawk codes signaling emergencies as they passed near Leeds, England.

At the time of the incidents, both aircraft were cruising around 29,000 feet altitude—DL47 at 29,000 feet and DL237 at 29,750 feet.

Despite the concurrent alerts, neither aircraft maintained the emergency squawk for a prolonged period, reverting to standard transponder codes shortly after. This caused initial confusion among observers tracking their progress on platforms like Flightradar24.

Interestingly, both aircraft originated from Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) but were heading to distinct destinations in the US: DL47 to New York JFK, and DL237 to Tampa TPA.

The overlapping squawk events in the same region raised concerns among aviation enthusiasts and trackers, prompting close monitoring of their subsequent flight paths.

Photo: By Kentaro Iemoto from Tokyo, Japan – Delta A330-200(N851NW), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23460193

Aircraft Details and Operator History

• DL47 Aircraft (N826NW):
  • Type: Airbus A330-302
  • Age: 9.5 years
  • Engines: 2x GE
  • Delivered: January 2016 to Delta Air Lines (DL)
  • Configuration: 34 Business, 21 Premium, 227 Economy (C34W21Y227)
• DL237 Aircraft (N819NW):
  • Type: Airbus A330-323
  • Age: 18 years
  • Engines: 2x PW
  • First Delivered: September 2007 to Northwest Airlines, transferred to Delta Air Lines in 2008
  • Configuration: 34 Business, 21 Premium, 227 Economy (C34W21Y227)

Both aircraft remain active and have undergone several cabin reconfigurations throughout their service lives. Notably, N819NW was stored between March and October 2020 before being reconfigured in January 2023.

At the time of the alerts, the UK was under a yellow warning for thunderstorms, particularly over eastern regions and the North Sea. Lightning tracker data indicated active storm cells offshore near Kingston upon Hull and Norwich.

Although unconfirmed, the severe weather in this sector may have influenced the aircraft systems or operational decisions, prompting the emergency squawks.

Photo: By Alessandro Ambrosetti from Rome – N807NW – Airbus A330-323 – Delta, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54861045

Similar Incident

A Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300 operating flight DL169 from Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) to New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) was forced to make an emergency return to Barcelona following a severe hailstorm encounter.

The incident resulted in significant structural damage to the aircraft, prompting immediate grounding for safety inspections.

The event unfolded shortly after takeoff when the aircraft encountered extreme weather conditions, leading the pilots to divert and safely land back at Barcelona (BCN).

Delta Air Lines (DL) has since initiated thorough inspections to assess the extent of damage and ensure the aircraft’s airworthiness.

Photo: By Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland – Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-223; N861NW@AMS;09.12.2010/590dg, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26719319

Severe Mid-Air Hailstorm

On the afternoon of July 20, 2024, Delta Air Lines flight DL169 departed from Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) en route to New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK).

The Airbus A330-300, registered N823NW, climbed to an altitude of approximately 20,000 feet when it was struck by a powerful hailstorm over the Costa Brava region.

Recognizing the immediate risks posed by the intense hail, the flight crew initiated an emergency descent to 8,000 feet and held in a pattern offshore.

The decision to return to Barcelona was made swiftly, prioritizing passenger and crew safety. The aircraft landed without further incident, and all passengers disembarked via mobile airstairs.

Images shared on social media revealed visible external damage, particularly a significant dent on the aircraft’s nose cone and extensive hail impact marks along the fuselage.

Eyewitness accounts and passenger reports corroborated the severity of the weather, with many stating that their mobile devices had issued severe weather alerts even before takeoff.

The affected aircraft, a 9-year-old Airbus A330-300, remains grounded at Barcelona El Prat (BCN) while Delta’s maintenance teams conduct comprehensive evaluations to determine repair needs and certify the aircraft’s structural integrity.

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