Emirates A380 to Dubai makes mid-air U-turn back to London on New Year’s Eve

Flight safely landed; passengers to be rebooked

Last updated: January 01, 2026 | 10:46

2 MIN READ

The flight was operated by an Airbus A380-800, registered as A6-EUF, a nine-year-old aircraft in Emirates’ fleet.

AFP

Dubai: An Emirates Airbus A380 flying from London to Dubai made a precautionary return to Heathrow shortly after take-off on New Year’s Eve due to a technical issue, the airline confirmed.

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Emirates flight EK002, operating from London Heathrow (LHR) to Dubai, departed at 13:40 GMT (5.40pm UAE time) on December 31, 2025, but turned back soon after take-off following a reported technical fault. The aircraft landed safely back at Heathrow, and passengers and crew were disembarked without incident.

In a statement to Gulf News, Emirates said:

“Emirates flight EK002 departed London Heathrow for Dubai as scheduled, but returned shortly after take-off due to a technical fault.”

“The flight landed back in LHR and passengers and crew were safely disembarked. All passengers will be rebooked to depart on future Emirates flights from LHR.”

The airline apologised for inconveniences caused, but said that the safety of its passengers and crew is of utmost importance and will not be compromised.

Flight tracking data showed the aircraft remained airborne for over an hour before landing. According to AirNav Radar data, the A380 took off at 2:31pm UTC (6:31pm UAE time), after which the crew reported an issue related to the aircraft’s landing gear system.

The aircraft eventually landed on Runway 27R at 4:28pm UTC (8.28pm).

The incident drew widespread attention online, with flight tracking platform Flightradar24 listing EK2 as one of its most-tracked flights globally at the time.

The flight was operated by an Airbus A380-800, registered as A6-EUF, a nine-year-old aircraft in Emirates’ fleet. The superjumbo is powered by four Engine Alliance GP7000 engines, a configuration widely used across the airline’s A380 operations.

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Also Read: Emirates issues travel advisory for post-New Year travellers in Dubai

Emirates operates one of the world’s largest fleets of A380 aircraft, with the type forming the backbone of its long-haul operations between Dubai and major global cities.

Meanwhile, travel expert Simon Calder tweeted, “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.”

Dhanusha GokulanChief Reporter

Dhanusha is a Chief Reporter at Gulf News in Dubai, with her finger firmly on the pulse of UAE, regional, and global aviation. She dives deep into how airlines and airports operate, expand, and embrace the latest tech. Known for her sharp eye for detail, Dhanusha makes complex topics like new aircraft, evolving travel trends, and aviation regulations easy to grasp. Lately, she's especially fascinated by the world of eVTOLs and flying cars. With nearly two decades in journalism, Dhanusha's covered a wide range, from health and education to the pandemic, local transport, and technology. When she's not tracking what's happening in the skies, she enjoys exploring social media trends, tech innovations, and anything that sparks reader curiosity. Outside of work, you'll find her immersed in electronic dance music, pop culture, movies, and video games.