An Airbus A380 from Australia to South Africa took passengers on a 9-hour flight to nowhere after a satellite issue

"Tuesday's Flight 63 took off from Sydney shortly after 10 a.m. and was supposed to arrive in Johannesburg about 14 hours later. All appeared to be going smoothly until nearly five hours into the journey, when the Airbus A380 turned around over the ocean, per Flightradar24 data. It headed back to Australia and touched down in Sydney about nine hours after taking off from there."

"A spokesperson for Qantas told Australian outlet News.com.au that the "fault was with the satellite communications," which are necessary for travelling over large bodies of water. They added that no emergency was declared. News.com.au also reported that 410 passengers were on board the enormous jet, all of whom were given accommodation before continuing their journey the following day. Data from Flightradar24 shows the same A380 operated a flight to Los Angeles on Wednesday."

"Returning to where the plane took off can make it easier for an airline to reroute passengers and repair any issues, as Qantas would have more facilities at a hub airport. However, this route is also one of the more isolated ones, typically involving hours of flying over the southern Indian Ocean, where there are only small islands before reaching Africa."

Flight 63 departed Sydney shortly after 10 a.m. with a scheduled 14-hour arrival in Johannesburg. Nearly five hours into the flight the Airbus A380 turned around over the ocean and returned, touching down in Sydney about nine hours after takeoff. Qantas said the fault was with satellite communications required for flying over large bodies of water and that no emergency was declared. The flight carried 410 passengers who were accommodated overnight before continuing the next day. Flightradar24 data shows the same A380 operated a Los Angeles flight the following day. The route involves long, isolated stretches over the southern Indian Ocean.

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