Technical issues force 2 Cathay Pacific flights from London and Tokyo to return or divert

Two Hong Kong-bound Cathay Pacific flights from London and Tokyo were forced to return or divert on two consecutive days after developing technical issues, prompting the airline to arrange alternative travel for affected passengers and issue apologies.

The city’s flag carrier confirmed on Thursday that flight CX252, which departed London Heathrow Airport for Hong Kong on Tuesday, made a precautionary return to the airport following a technical issue, landing safely at 2.23pm local time.

On Wednesday, flight CX521 from Tokyo Narita International Airport made a precautionary diversion to Kansai International Airport in Osaka “in accordance with standard procedures and safety guidelines” after encountering a technical issue, touching down safely at 7pm local time.

The airline said passengers on the London service had been rebooked onto alternative flights, while those affected by the Tokyo diversion were placed onto another Cathay Pacific flight to continue their journeys.

Cathay said on Thursday that its engineering teams were conducting thorough inspections and any necessary maintenance before either aircraft was cleared to return to service.

“The safety of our customers and crew guides every decision we make,” Cathay said, apologising for the inconvenience caused and thanking customers for their understanding.