An Emirates jumbo jet was forced to abort its journey to Dubai and return to London Heathrow Airport on New Year's Eve following a technical malfunction.
Flight Diverted Shortly After Takeoff
The Emirates Airbus A380, operating as flight EK002, departed from Heathrow at 2.32pm on 31 December 2025. The aircraft was en route to Dubai when it experienced a problem with its landing gear system, prompting the pilots to make the decision to turn back.
Rather than landing immediately, the massive double-decker jet entered a holding pattern to the south-east of London. It circled for approximately two hours at an altitude of 10,000 feet near Orpington and Maidstone to burn off excess fuel, a standard safety procedure for a heavily laden aircraft needing to reduce its landing weight.
Safe Landing and Passenger Rebooking
The plane eventually touched down safely at Heathrow at 4.28pm, where emergency services were on standby as a precaution. The landing was completed without incident.
All passengers and crew were able to disembark normally. An Emirates spokesperson confirmed that all affected travellers were being rebooked onto subsequent Emirates flights from London Heathrow. The airline apologised for the disruption, stating that the safety of passengers and crew is of utmost importance and will not be compromised.
Context of Recent Air Incidents
This incident follows another recent emergency involving a UK departure. On 28 December, a Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX flight from Birmingham to Tenerife declared a mid-air emergency (squawk 7700) over France after encountering severe air turbulence during cabin service, resulting in passenger injuries. That flight also returned safely to its departure airport.
Travel expert Simon Calder commented on the Emirates event via social media, noting the aircraft's holding pattern and the safe outcome for the 500 passengers on board.
