QANTAS: A380 diverts to Baku again. Medical Emergency

In a déjà vu moment for Qantas, flight QF2 from London to Singapore made an unscheduled landing in Baku, Azerbaijan, on June 9, 2025. A passenger suffered a serious medical emergency mid-flight. This marks the second time in recent years that a Qantas Airbus A380 has diverted to Baku. The last similar incident occurred in December 2022.

Mid-air medical crisis

About eight hours into its journey, while cruising at 37,000 feet over Turkmenistan, the flight crew responded to a life-threatening cardiac episode experienced by a woman in her 60s.

Australian doctor Hamish Urquhart, along with two other medical professionals onboard, provided immediate assistance. Dr. Urquhart described the situation as “stressful,” noting the challenges of administering assistance during the aircraft’s descent. The patient was stabilised and transported to a local hospital upon landing.

Grounded in Baku— visas, hotels, and crew rest

A diversion like this is never easy. The impact of such a disruption results in a seemingly endless catalogue of run-on effects.

The diversion left nearly 500 passengers stranded in Baku overnight. Adding to the complications, it was also a public holiday in Azerbaijan, which made visa processing and accommodation arrangements challenging.

Qantas organised hotel accommodations and secured the necessary visas for all passengers. Then, in the nature of these roll-on of effects, the flight crew reached their maximum duty hours. That meant an overnight rest before the onward journey.

Maintenance and misinformation

Adding to the delay, the A380 required routine maintenance checks originally scheduled for Singapore. Qantas dispatched an engineer from London to conduct the necessary inspections in Baku.

Amid the disruption, some passengers reported being approached by local airport staff, who offered alternative flights in exchange for cryptocurrency or cash.

There is always someone seeking an advantage out of others’ misfortune.

A familiar detour

This incident echoes a previous diversion in December 2022, when Qantas flight QF1 from Singapore to London made an emergency landing in Baku due to cockpit alerts indicating smoke in the cargo hold. That event was later attributed to a faulty sensor.

Heydar Aliyev International Airport, equipped with runways capable of accommodating the A380, has now become an unexpected but critical stopover for Qantas in times of emergency.

Conclusion

These sorts of disruptions are never easy, on the staff involved, not to mention the passengers whose travel is disrupted.

Disruptions are part of flying, and when planning a trip, we all need to take that into account. Cutting things fine, from arriving just in time for something to not taking enough medication with you to accommodate a delay, are all issues to avoid.

I draw comfort from knowing that if I suffered a significant medical episode on a flight, my needs would be at the forefront of Qantas’s mind.