February 16, 2025
Air France Flight AF972 Paris-Luanda Declares Emergency

Air France Flight AF972 Paris-Luanda Declares Emergency

Air France flight AF972, an A330-200 bound for Luanda, has declared an emergency and is currently returning to Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport.
Konstantin von Wedelstaedt (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2), via Wikimedia Commons

An Air France Airbus A330-200 bound for Luanda has declared an emergency whilst en route from Paris.

Air France flight AF972 declared a general emergency, squawking transponder code 7700 whilst still in French airspace. The flight is now conducting a return to Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG).

Air France AF972 Paris-Luanda


Flight track of Air France AF972 Paris to Luanda, showing return to Paris.

Flight AF972 had climbed to cruising level FL370 before conducting a descent and squawking code 7700 as it descended through FL140 on a direct return to the origin airport.

Flight track of Air France AF972 Paris to Luanda, showing return to Paris.

Update 22:50 UTC: Landed Paris (CDG)


Having expedited a return to the departure airport earlier this evening, Air France flight AF972 has now landed Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport. The nature of the emergency prompting the expedited return is not yet known.

Flight Details


Flight data shows that Air France flight AF972 had made an on-time departure from Paris Charles De Gaulle at 22:13 local time this evening. The flight had then set course normally for the destination Quatro de Fevereiro Luanda International Airport (LAD).

Following departure, the flight had climbed to FL370 (37,000 feet) before carrying out a diversion whilst still in French airspace. Flight crew squawked emergency transponder code 7700 at 22:28 UTC, whilst established in the descent to Paris (CDG). Presumably this was to ensure approach and landing priority for the early return.

Konstantin von Wedelstaedt (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2), via Wikimedia Commons

The aircraft conducting this evening’s AF972 rotation to Luanda was an Airbus A330-200, registered F-GZCI. This is a 22.4 year old widebody aircraft belonging to the national carrier Air France. It has been in operational service with the airline since its initial delivery in December 2002.

Update: Cabin Pressurisation Issue


Via on-line source Flight Emergency: Air France flight AF972 declared an emergency and returned to Paris due to cabin pressurisation problem.

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