An Air Cairo Airbus A320-200 was forced to return to its departure airport on Jan 15th, 2026, after a serious chain of technical problems unfolded shortly after takeoff, turning a routine regional flight into a full-scale in-flight emergency.
The aircraft, registered SU-BPX and operating flight SM-427 from Cairo, Egypt to Gassim, Saudi Arabia, was climbing through approximately flight level 270 when the cabin altitude unexpectedly rose through 11,000 feet. Recognizing the risk of a pressurization problem, the flight crew immediately initiated a rapid descent to around 10,000 feet and made the decision to return to Cairo.
As the aircraft approached the airport at about 3,000 feet, the situation became more complex when the crew disconnected one of the engine-driven generators due to low oil pressure, leaving the aircraft operating on a single generator. Despite the reduced electrical redundancy, the pilots continued the approach and landed safely on Cairo International Airport’s runway 05C roughly 45 minutes after departure.
Further details later emerged indicating that the aircraft had been dispatched under Minimum Equipment List (MEL) conditions, with the auxiliary power unit (APU) already inoperative before departure. According to information received by The Aviation Herald, the crew had declared a Mayday while nearing flight level 280 after the cabin altitude climbed to 11,000 feet, highlighting the seriousness of the pressurization issue.
Although the landing was completed without injury, the aircraft remained grounded in Cairo approximately 50 hours after returning, suggesting that maintenance teams were carrying out extensive inspections and repairs before the jet could be cleared for service again.
The incident underscores how quickly multiple system failures can escalate in flight and highlights the importance of crew training and strict procedures, which ensured a safe outcome despite the challenging circumstances.
