Up to 469 passengers aboard a British Airways flight from Singapore to London Heathrow experienced an unexpected turn of events when the Airbus A380 superjumbo faced technical difficulties shortly after takeoff. Scheduled to depart at 11:20 pm, the flight encountered a separate technical issue, causing a delay of four hours before finally departing at 3:10 am.
However, after climbing to 27,000 feet, the pilots were compelled to turn back due to a malfunction with the weather radar. Despite returning to Singapore, the aircraft, laden with fuel for the lengthy journey to London, had to enter a holding pattern to burn off excess fuel for a safe landing. After circling off the coast of Singapore for four hours, the flight was eventually canceled, and passengers were provided accommodation for the night. This incident adds to British Airways’ challenges with its fleet of Airbus A380s, which have been plagued by issues since returning from pandemic-induced storage. The affected flight, BA12, was further linked to the cancellation of another flight, highlighting broader ramifications. British Airways expressed regret for the disruption, emphasizing efforts to assist affected passengers and resolve the situation promptly.