A Lufthansa flight headed to Hyderabad from Frankfurt made an unexpected mid-air u-turn on June 15. The flight, LH752, was operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. It had taken off from Frankfurt at 2:15 pm local time. The plane was scheduled to land at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport around 6 am IST.
Lufthansa Says No Landing Permit, Airport Cites Bomb Scare
Initial reports did not confirm why the aircraft returned to Germany. However, a report has now revealed that the cause was not a technical glitch, but a suspected bomb threat. According to the report, an official from Hyderabad airport confirmed that the threat was received while the plane was still outside Indian airspace. Hence, prompting the decision to return.
But Lufthansa has provided a slightly different version of events. A spokesperson for the airline said, “We did not receive a permit to land in Hyderabad and that’s why the aircraft took a u-turn and returned.”
Meanwhile, Hyderabad ATC had earlier acknowledged the aircraft’s mid-air change in course, noting that it had received notification of the flight’s u-turn shortly after departure.
British Airways Flight Also Returns Due to Technical Glitch
On the same day, a British Airways flight from London to Chennai was also forced to return to Heathrow. This flight reportedly faced a “flap failure,” a mechanical issue with part of the aircraft’s wing. British Airways clarified that it was a standard precautionary measure. “The flight landed safely, with passengers and crew disembarking normally,” the airline confirmed, assuring that all passengers would be rebooked soon.
Aviation officials stressed that neither Lufthansa nor British Airways declared emergency landings. Returning to the origin airport is a standard protocol in both technical and security-related situations.
As investigations continue, the true cause behind Lufthansa’s unexpected u-turn, whether a bomb threat or denied clearance, remains the subject of speculation.