BA plane forced to turn back after US objection

A British Airways plane was tonight forced to return to the UK after US authorities objected to a passenger onboard landing in…

A British Airways plane was tonight forced to return to the UK after US authorities objected to a passenger onboard landing in New York.

The 747 jumbo jet was almost half way into its journey when the decision was taken to turn it around following the US request, said a BA spokesman.

He added: "There was no threat to the safety of the aircraft we took the decision to return to Heathrow."

A Scotland Yard spokesman later confirmed that the passenger was a man and that he had been released by police after being questioned for two hours.

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone

  • Listen to In The News podcast daily for a deep dive on the stories that matter