A SkyUp Airlines Boeing 737 suffered a cabin pressurization problem while on a flight from Kyiv, Ukraine to Butimi, Georgia, and immediately diverted back to the airport of departure.

The incident occurred on June 24, 2021, when SkyUp Airlines Boeing 737-900, registered as UR-SQI, was en route from Boryspil International Airport (KBP), Ukraine to Batumi International Airport (BUS), Georgia. According to Flightradar24.com data, the low-cost carrier‘s jet took off at 11.40 a.m. (UTC) for flight PQ-421 and was supposed to land at its final destination a few hours later. 

However, as the plane reached 15,000 feet, it suffered a technical issue and had to interrupt climbing. It turned out that the jet suffered a cabin pressurization problem. The flight crew immediately decided to divert to the nearest airport. The flight record showed that after reporting an abnormal situation on board, the pilots descended and put the Boeing 737 on hold at 4,000 feet for around 25 minutes. 

Then, about 45 minutes after receiving clearance, the aircraft returned to KBP airport and safely landed on runway 36R without further incidents reported.

According to Planespotters.com data, the more than 13-year-old plane involved in the incident has been flying the SkyUp Airlines routes since October 2019, when it was leased from the Irish–American commercial aviation lessor GECAS.

It was the second incident of the SkyUp Airlines plane in a few years. In December 2019, another air carrier‘s Boeing 737-900, registered as UR-SQJ, was flying a similar route from Kyiv, Ukraine, to Tbilisi, Georgia, when it faced an unreliable airspeed issue.