By Dorrothy Moyo | London, 15 June 2025 —
Mid-Air Alarm, Grounded Relief: Chennai-Bound British Airways Flight Forced to Turn Back Over Dover
What began as a routine long-haul journey from London to Chennai suddenly turned into a tense mid-air diversion, as British Airways Flight BA35 veered off course above the English Channel, circling anxiously over the Strait of Dover. Inside the cabin, the mood shifted — a quiet murmur of uncertainty, eyes darting to overhead screens and cabin crew — as passengers realized something was wrong.
But the moment the wheels of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner touched down safely back at Heathrow, a wave of silent relief swept through the fuselage. Smiles returned. Tense shoulders dropped. What could have been a harrowing ordeal became a textbook demonstration of aviation safety protocols in action.
British Airways later confirmed the return was a precautionary measure following a reported technical issue — not an emergency, but a reminder that in the skies, every decision counts.
A British Airways flight bound for Chennai was forced to turn back to London’s Heathrow Airport on Sunday afternoon following reports of a technical issue, the airline confirmed in a statement.
Flight BA35, operated by an 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (registration G-ZBJG), took off from Heathrow at 1:16 PM local time after a 36-minute delay. However, shortly after departure, the aircraft was seen circling repeatedly over the Strait of Dover before returning to Heathrow, according to data from flight tracking service Flightradar24.
British Airways described the decision to return as a “standard precaution” in response to a suspected technical anomaly.
“The flight landed safely with crew and customers disembarking as they normally would, and our teams are working hard to get their journeys back on track as soon as possible,” the airline said.
There were no reports of injuries or in-flight emergencies, and the aircraft landed safely without requiring emergency services on standby.
Passengers were met by airline staff on arrival and are being assisted with rebooking and accommodation where necessary.
Technical teams are now inspecting the Dreamliner to determine the exact nature of the fault. British Airways reiterated that passenger safety remains their top priority, and that early return protocols help prevent escalation of onboard technical concerns.
In a separate incident the same day, a Hyderabad-bound Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt also returned to its point of origin mid-air. Indian Air Traffic Control confirmed that Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad received notification that the flight had turned back. The specific reason for the return was not immediately known.
Both incidents highlight the aviation industry’s cautious approach toward onboard technical reports, especially involving long-haul international operations.