Air China flight diverts to Siberia after engine trouble en route from London

Local authorities and airport management worked together with government officials to accommodate passengers and crew while they awaited further transport. A replacement Air China Boeing 777 arrived from Beijing approximately nine hours after the original plane’s arrival. Technicians and parts were also sent from Air China since local resources were not expected to be sufficient for repairs.

The diversion drew attention because direct flights between the UK and Russia have been banned since April 2022 due to reciprocal sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to a statement by the UK Government, there has been "a prohibition on any aircraft flying to and from Russian aerodromes from using UK airspace." The rare arrival of a commercial jet that had departed from London caused heightened alert among airport staff in Nizhnevartovsk.

A witness told LBC that "airport services were on high alert for the unexpected guest. It’s not every year that such a flight from the UK arrives in Nizhnevartovsk."

Air China operates as a full-service carrier with hubs at Beijing Capital Airport, Beijing Daxing Airport, and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. The airline is part of Star Alliance and led by CEO Cai Jianjiang.