Malaysia Airlines Flight Makes U-Turn After 7-Hour Journey Due To Heathrow Closure

Malaysia Airlines flight MH4 covered an astounding 10,611 kilometers only to end up exactly where it began – at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

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Passengers on a Malaysia Airlines flight MH4 recently completed an epic journey of approximately 10,611 kilometres, ending right back where they started.

TikTok user @sarahmaytravel documented this incredible “journey to nowhere” when her Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to London made the ultimate U-turn.

Imagine being halfway across the globe only to hear, “Sorry, folks, we’re heading back home.”

The Airbus A350-941, more than halfway through its journey to London, was forced to return to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) when a fire at an electrical substation plunged Heathrow into darkness.

@sarahmaytravel @Heathrow Airport what’s going on?????? #heathrow #heathrowairport #heathrowfire ♬ Oh No – Kreepa

Heathrow Resumes Operations After 10-Hour Shutdown

Sarah mentioned that the airline has rearranged flights for affected passengers, and she has been scheduled on the next available flight to London.

Other affected passengers also expressed their frustration about the unexpected situation.

Passengers noted that while the disruption was disappointing, Malaysia Airlines handled the situation exceptionally well.

It is understood that passengers were provided with at least one night’s accommodation at airport hotels and were informed that the airline would contact them regarding flight changes.

The flight had been airborne for approximately seven hours when the crew received news of Heathrow’s closure.

Flight tracking data shows the aircraft spent roughly 13 hours 30 minutes of average flight time.

The aircraft was somewhere over the Indian Ocean region when it turned back. (Pix: Flightradar24)

Malaysia Airlines Resumes London Flights After Heathrow Power Outage

Malaysia Airlines issued an official statement on Sunday (22 March), announcing the resumption of their Heathrow Airport operations.

MH4 (Kuala Lumpur to London Heathrow) and MH1 (London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur) were restored to their regular schedules.

The airline has also taken proactive steps to prevent communication gaps, urging passengers to update their contact details through the ‘My Booking’ section on their website or mobile app to receive prompt updates about any future disruptions.

Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports, closed for 18 hours, affecting more than 1,350 flights worldwide.

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