An Air Astana aircraft en route from Almaty to London made an emergency landing in Frankfurt after a disruption at a British airport left dozens of passengers stranded in the transit zone, according to infohub.kz.
The airline's press service said the Airbus A321, operating flight KC663 from Almaty to London, was safely diverted to Frankfurt Airport due to the closure of the airport in the UK.
There were 138 passengers on board. "Unfortunately, London Heathrow Airport will remain closed until the end of tonight, forcing Air Astana to cancel the onward flight. Departure of flight KC663 has been tentatively rescheduled for 11:30 (UTC) the following morning," the airline said.
The carrier added that 67 of the passengers do not hold valid Schengen visas and must remain in the transit zone of Frankfurt Airport. All passengers at the airport have been provided with meal vouchers to ensure they have food and refreshments while waiting.
"Ground services and airline representatives at the airport are working around the clock to arrange hotel accommodation for passengers eligible to enter the city, as well as to provide meals, refreshments, and necessary support during this unforeseen delay," the airline said.