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.