London-bound Virgin Atlantic flight with 270 passengers forced into emergency landing

London-bound Virgin Atlantic flight with 270 passengers forced into emergency landing Virgin Atlantic flight VS317 from Bengaluru to London Heathrow was forced to turn back shortly after takeoff and make an emergency landing after the crew found a technical issue A plane heading for London carrying 270 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff. The Virgin Atlantic aircraft took off from Kempegowda International Airport (KIAB) in Bengaluru (also called Bangalore) in the southern Indian state of Karnataka at around 8.20am on September 6. The aircraft had not been in the skies for long before the flight crew noticed a technical issue and the plane was forced to abort its journey and return to land. The crew circled the aircraft for more than half an hour before returning to KIAB where passengers were made to disembark the flight. A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: "The VS317 flight from Bengaluru to London Heathrow returned to Bengaluru shortly after departure due to a technical issue. “The aircraft landed safely as a precaution and the flight was subsequently cancelled. The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to our customers. “Our teams are supporting those affected and are working hard to rebook them onto alternative services as quickly as possible."