A Malaysia-bound flight from Saudi Arabia was forced to return to Jeddah after a passenger realised she had left her baby in the terminal. The pilot requested permission to turn back shortly after takeoff, citing the mother's refusal to continue the journey.
Audio of the exchange between the pilot and air traffic control captures the unusual request. 'May God be with us. Can we come back?' the pilot asks. The controller, seemingly taken aback, is heard consulting colleagues: 'This flight is requesting to come back. A passenger forgot her baby in the waiting area, the poor thing.'
The pilot reiterated the situation: 'I told you, a passenger has left her baby in the terminal and she is refusing to continue the flight.' After a brief pause, permission was granted. 'OK, head back to the gate. This is totally a new one for us,' the controller replied.
Such midair turnarounds are rare, typically reserved for technical issues or medical emergencies. The incident echoes past diversions, such as a 2013 American Airlines flight that diverted due to a passenger singing Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' incessantly, and a 2014 Korean Air incident where a heiress forced a return over macadamia nut service.
