An easyJet flight was forced to return to its runway moments after takeoff this afternoon, Gatwick Airport has confirmed, disrupting passengers’ holiday plans as they were forced to wait overnight for the next plane.
A spokeswoman for the airport said: “We can confirm that flight EZY8569 from London Gatwick to Dalaman returned to Gatwick shortly after take-off due to a suspected technical issue and was met by the emergency services upon arrival in line with procedures. Passengers disembarked normally.
“As a result of the diversion the flight will now be delayed overnight.
“We are doing everything possible to minimise the disruption for our customers, including providing hotel accommodation and meals for those who require them.
“The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is our highest priority.
“We would like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused by the delay and thank them for their patience and understanding.”
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