London-bound flight with 209 onboard returns to Chennai due to 'operational reason'

NEW DELHI: A London-bound international flight returned to Chennai shortly after take-off on Sunday due to an "operational reason", airport officials said.

The flight was carrying around 209 passengers. Officials did not elaborate on the nature of the issue.

Alternative arrangements were being made for the passengers, they added.

‘Balked landing’

On Thursday, an IndiGo flight from Guwahati to Chennai with 168 passengers on board made an emergency landing at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) after the pilot issued a ‘Mayday’ call due to low fuel, officials said.

Flight 6E-6764, an Airbus A321, departed Guwahati at 4.40pm and attempted to land in Chennai around 7.45pm.

However, the pilot initiated a ‘go-around’ after the landing gear made contact with the runway — a manoeuvre known as a ‘balked landing’.

A source familiar with the incident said the pilot made the Mayday call about 35 nautical miles from Bengaluru, citing insufficient fuel.

The aircraft landed safely in Bengaluru.