Red: When an aircraft is displayed as red that means that you are currently following that specific aircraft on the map or that an emergency squawk is on for this aircraft.

When a plane’s icon appears red on Flightradar24, it means the aircraft is transmitting a 7700 emergency squawk code on its transponder.

This is a critical signal from the cockpit indicating a state of emergency. It is not a system error from Flightradar24.

What the 7700 Code Means:

The pilot has manually set their transponder to 7700 to alert air traffic control (ATC) and other aircraft that they are experiencing an emergency situation. This could be any of the following:

1. Technical/Maintenance Issues: Engine failure, pressurization problems, hydraulic failure, smoke/fire on board, or any other serious system malfunction.
2. Medical Emergency: A passenger or crew member requires urgent medical attention on the ground.
3. Security Threat: Unruly passenger, security breach, or other onboard threat.
4. Other Urgent Situations: Such as running low on fuel (“Mayday fuel”) or being significantly off course due to weather or disorientation.

What Happens When You See It:

• On Flightradar24: The aircraft’s icon and trail turn red, making it highly visible. The “Squawk” field in the aircraft’s data box will show 7700.
• In the Real World:
  • Air Traffic Control immediately gives the aircraft priority handling, clears other traffic from its path, and begins coordinating assistance.
  • The pilot will communicate the nature of the emergency (e.g., “Mayday” for life-threatening, “Pan-Pan” for urgent but not immediately life-threatening).
  • The flight will