United Airlines flight returns to Heathrow after 'maintenance' issue
A United Airlines flight was forced to circle the English Channel after returning to Heathrow Airport following a 'maintenance' issue.
The flight was expected to land back at Heathrow at 1.15pm on Thursday, but circled at 12,000 ft to burn of fuel for a few hours first.
The service, carrying 227 passengers and a crew of 13, left Heathrow at 11am bound for Newark, New Jersey, but was forced to divert shortly after takeoff, reports ITV News.
Passengers took to social media to share their experience, with one, Marcus Mollinga, tweeting a host of updates.
According to Channel 4, a spokesman for United Airlines said: "Our maintenance team is currently inspecting the aircraft. Our customer service team at Heathrow is providing assistance to customers and is making arrangements for them to complete their journeys.
"We regret any inconvenience experienced by our customers."
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