Dubai-bound Emirates A380 turns back to London after technical fault on New Year’s Eve
Flight EK002 made precautionary return to Heathrow shortly after take-off
DUBAI – A Dubai-bound Emirates flight from London Heathrow returned to its origin shortly after take-off on New Year’s Eve due to a technical fault, the airline confirmed to local media.
The precautionary return involved flight EK002, operated by an Airbus A380, during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. All passengers and crew were safely disembarked, with no injuries reported.
The flight departed London Heathrow at 1.40pm GMT on December 31, bound for Dubai. Shortly after take-off, the crew reported a technical issue and initiated procedures to return to Heathrow. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft entered a holding pattern at around 10,000 feet to reduce fuel levels before landing, as the plane was above its maximum landing weight.
#EK2, London-Dubai, holding shortly after takeoff from London and now topping our most tracked flights list. https://t.co/AloSAYvPiv pic.twitter.com/4p53uIB7Fs
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) December 31, 2025
Flight details
EK002 remained airborne for more than an hour, circling above London and parts of south-east England. The aircraft touched down safely on Runway 27R at Heathrow at 4.28pm GMT, with emergency vehicles positioned on standby as a precaution. Reports indicated the aircraft was carrying around 500 passengers at the time of the incident.
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.
— Simon Calder (@SimonCalder) December 31, 2025
The Airbus A380 SuperJumbo circled over Orpington for 2 hours to burn off fuel and landed safely
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 commonly used across the airline’s A380 operations. Data from AirNav Radar suggested the issue was related to the aircraft’s landing gear system, prompting the return.
Airline response
Emirates confirmed that the return was due to a technical fault and said passenger safety remained its top priority. All passengers were safely disembarked upon landing, and the airline said they would be rebooked on future Emirates flights departing from London Heathrow.
The incident attracted significant attention on flight tracking platforms, with EK002 ranking among the most-tracked flights globally at the time as it circled before landing.
New Year’s Eve rush
The New Year’s Eve incident came during a peak travel period, with airports and airlines across Dubai and Sharjah issuing advisories for passengers travelling at the end of December and in the first week of January 2026. The UAE marked January 1 as a public holiday, with January 2 designated for remote work in the public sector, contributing to heavy outbound and inbound travel flows.
Emirates continues to operate six daily flights between London Heathrow and Dubai, all typically served by its flagship Airbus A380. The airline has also announced plans to add six weekly flights to its Heathrow schedule from October 26, 2025, operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft during the winter period, offering more than 350 seats each way across First, Business and Economy cabins.