Plane in near-miss with drone near Heathrow
A passenger plane had a near-miss with a drone at 10,000ft as it approached Heathrow, according to the latest accidents reports.
Air safety experts UK Airprox Board classified the incident as a category ‘b’, the second most serious out of five categories.
Its report said pilots of the unnamed airline spotted a gadget with multiple arms and up to eight rotors pass by the right hand side of the plane as it was preparing to land.
The drone was estimated to be about 98ft (30m) away from the Airbus A320 and was flying way above the limit of 400ft set for areas around airports.
Pilots said they had no time to react and the UKAB report said ‘safety was not assured’.
Police officers were informed of the incident, which happened on November 11, but could not trace the operator.
It was one of four near misses involving drones listed in the latest UKAB monthly report.
There have been 59 incidents in the past 12 months.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026