TUI has explained why a plane circled around Merseyside for nearly three hours before returning to Manchester Airport.
Flight TOM216 travelling to Boa Vista in Manchester Airport issued an emergency signal shortly after take-off at 10.30am. It then circled around the North West for two hours and 30 minutes before returning to its departure airport at 1.12pm.
The plane was met on the tarmac at Manchester Airport by fire and ambulance services as is standard procedure.
READ MORE: TUI flight circles over Liverpool for nearly three hours after emergency signal
A TUI spokesperson told the ECHO : "We can confirm flight TOM216 to Boa Vista, Cape Verde, has returned to Manchester Airport this afternoon due to a technical issue. The aircraft landed at 1.12pm and all passengers and crew were disembarked safely.
"The safety of our customers and crew is always our highest priority and we’d like to reassure customers that the decision to return to Manchester was taken as a precautionary measure.
"Due to landing restrictions at Boa Vista Airport, this flight is unable to depart today and our teams are currently working through a new flight plan. We’ll be contacting customers directly to let them know of their new departure time as soon as we can, and offering them overnight accommodation, meals and transport to and from the airport if needed.
"We’d like to apologise to all customers onboard for the inconvenience and thank them for their patience and understanding at this time."
Customers onboard will receive a refund of one night’s holiday cost and a further gesture of goodwill. Customers who no longer wish to travel can amend for free to another holiday or cancel and receive a full refund.
Customers are also eligible to claim flight delay compensation in line with EU regulation (EC 261/2004) and have been sent instructions on how to do this.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
Mum forced to wet herself in River Island after staff refuse to let her use toilet
Airport baggage handler makes plea as they say chaos 'will only get worse'
Merseyside's 'poshest' village that has one road in and out
Mum who mooned crowd at school sports day shares messages men are sending
Free TV licence update and who can get one as DWP changes rules
