An SAS Airbus A320neo operating flight SK528 from London Heathrow to Stockholm Arlanda diverted to Billund Airport on Friday evening after crew and passengers detected a smell resembling smoke in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely and normally, passengers disembarked, and SAS later arranged bus transport onward to Copenhagen while investigators examined the cause.
The diversion was handled as a precautionary safety landing, with emergency services, police and firefighters responding at the airport. No visible smoke was seen on board, and no confirmed mechanical fault or fire has been reported. The aircraft involved was registered EI-SCE.
The incident caused disruption to passengers’ onward travel, but it also reflected standard airline procedure for possible cabin smoke events, where crews are trained to act conservatively even if the source is not immediately identified. The cause of the smell remained under investigation after the aircraft was inspected on the ground.