More than 500 passengers on an Emirates flight to Dubai faced New Year’s Eve chaos after their Airbus A380 had to turn back just minutes after takeoff from Heathrow. The giant plane barely cleared Maidstone, Kent, before pilots spotted a landing gear fault and sent it back to the runway.
Two Hours Circling London Skies
The double-decker jumbo took off nearly an hour late at 2:32pm. Shortly after, the crew spotted a landing gear door glitch. To land safely, the plane had to burn off fuel by circling at 10,000 feet over Orpington, southeast London, for close to two hours.
The Airbus flew a tight racetrack pattern while waiting for clearance to return. It finally landed safely at Heathrow at 4:28pm—about two hours after departure.
Holiday Plans in Tatters as Flights Delayed
The flight was meant to reach Dubai at 12:40am, but the technical hiccup means many travellers now face disrupted New Year celebrations, stuck near Heathrow instead of ringing in midnight abroad.
Travel expert Simon Calder said: “500 Emirates passengers who took off from Heathrow for Dubai this afternoon got no further than Maidstone in Kent before the pilots decided to turn back due to a landing gear problem. The Airbus A380 SuperJumbo circled over Orpington for 2 hours to burn off fuel and landed safely.”
Emirates Acts Fast: Safety First
An Emirates spokesperson confirmed:
“Emirates flight EK002 departed London Heathrow for Dubai on 31 December 2025, but returned shortly after take-off due to a technical fault. The flight landed safely at Heathrow and passengers and crew were disembarked without incident. All passengers will be rebooked on future flights. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority.”
No injuries were reported, and strict safety checks remained in place throughout the tense episode.
