Miami-bound Boeing spends six hours over the Mediterranean before technical fault forces return to Ben Gurion.
An El Al flight from Tel Aviv to Miami (LY017) turned back to Israel on Tuesday after six hours in the air, following the discovery of a technical fault mid-flight. The aircraft had already covered significant distance over the Mediterranean when the issue was identified.
The Boeing reversed course and headed back to Ben Gurion, leaving passengers on board for what will total more than ten hours without reaching their destination in Florida.
El Al said passengers landing back in Israel would be offered a choice between a replacement flight to Miami or a full refund. "We apologise to passengers for the significant inconvenience and emphasise that El Al places the safety and security of passengers and crew at the top of its priorities," the airline said in a statement.
The plane landed safely at Ben Gurion.
This is the second such incident in a week. A chartered Israir flight was forced to return to Ben Gurion just forty minutes after takeoff after a fault was discovered on board.
Airlines are required by law to provide passengers with compensation or alternative flights in cases of cancellations or significant delays. In the present case, El Al offered passengers the option of continuing to Miami on an alternative flight or receiving a full refund.
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