A Virgin Atlantic flight bound for Orlando, Florida, from London Heathrow was forced to make a U-turn after flying for hours due to a minor technical issue, the airline confirmed.
Flight Details
Flight VS135 departed Heathrow at approximately 12:47 PM on Monday, July 13, 2026, heading west towards Ireland and the open ocean. The Airbus A350 jet was cruising at 36,000 feet when it suddenly made a sharp turn back towards the Irish coast off the coast of Ireland.
The plane then made six circles off the coast of Dingle before zooming north for one more lap and then heading back towards the UK. Passengers disembarked shortly before 6 PM when the plane touched down at Heathrow airport.
Reason for Turnaround
Virgin Atlantic revealed the reason for the return was a 'minor technical issue.' According to aviation experts, safety protocols dictate that pilots will not start a long oceanic crossing if there is even a minor technical or system glitch.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: 'Flight VS135 from London Heathrow to Orlando on Monday July 13 returned to London Heathrow due to a minor technical issue and was subsequently cancelled. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to our customers. The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority. Our teams will be in contact with all affected customers and are working hard to rebook them onto alternative services as quickly as possible.'
Impact on Passengers
Passengers faced a change of plans and were rebooked onto alternative services. The airline stated that affected customers would be contacted directly.
