Alerts Sign-up
A United Airlines flight from London Heathrow to San Francisco International Airport was forced to return to its departure point shortly after takeoff due to a technical issue. The incident occurred on July 30, 2025, when flight UA949, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER registered as N229UA, departed at 12:45 local time but landed back at Heathrow just 27 minutes later.
The aircraft was scheduled for an approximately 11-hour transatlantic journey but instead returned after the crew stopped the climb at 15,000 feet and declared an emergency by squawking 7700. According to Air Live, smoke may have filled the cabin during the incident. Upon landing at Heathrow at 13:12, the plane was met by multiple emergency vehicles and escorted by three fire engines to a remote stand where passengers deplaned normally.
United Airlines informed passengers: "We're sorry for returning to London Heathrow. Our maintenance team needs to evaluate a technical issue on your plane before we depart again. We appreciate your patience, and we'll keep you updated as we get more information."
