SAN FRANCISCO- A United Airlines (UA) flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to San Francisco (SFO) made an emergency landing at Edinburgh Airport (EDI) on December 4, 2025.

The Chicago-based carrier operates two daily flights between the global financial center and the Golden City.

Photo: Alexander Lang | Flickr

United Flight Emergency Landing at LHR

According to FlightRadar24 data, United Airlines flight UA949 took off from London Heathrow at 14:05 UTC and was expected to arrive at San Francisco Airport at 17:00 UTC after flying for over 10 hours and covering 8,638 Kilometers.

However, after being airborne for over an hour and 30 minutes, the United Airlines flight crew reported a technical issue with the aircraft.

As per the ACARS data, the crew found a fault with the brake temperature sensor and decided to make an emergency landing at Edinburgh (EDI). The flight landed safely at Edinburgh Airport at 16:35 UTC.

The flight was operated by a 26.8-year-old Boeing 777-200ER registered as N74007. Further, it is powered by two GE90 engines.

This is the developing story; stay tuned for the latest updates.

ALSO READ: United 777 Operated Flight Makes Emergency Landing in SFO Amid Pilot Mistake

Photo: By tjdarmstadt – IMG_0388.jpg, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61530146

Similar Incident

A United Airlines (UA) flight bound for San Francisco (SFO) returned to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) after smoke was reported inside the cabin. The Boeing 777-200 was operating as Flight UA949 when fumes were detected soon after departure.

The crew halted the transatlantic flight and diverted back to Heathrow (LHR) to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. United Airlines (UA) confirmed the incident and began rebooking affected travelers.

Emergency Response After Takeoff

The aircraft departed Heathrow at about 12:23 PM local time and climbed to roughly 15,000 feet before the crew reported fumes in the galley. The captain declared a general emergency and initiated an immediate return.

Emergency vehicles met the aircraft on the taxiway, with fire crews escorting it to the gate as a precaution. All 272 passengers and 13 crew members exited the aircraft without injury. Heathrow stated that airport operations continued normally throughout the event.

The Boeing 777-200 involved had experienced an unrelated technical issue the previous week while approaching San Francisco. Aviation commentator Jerry Dyer noted that no visible smoke appeared during landing and commended the coordinated response of airline and airport personnel.

Photo: By Alan Wilson – Boeing 777-222 ‘N795UA’ United Airlines, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33925191

United Airlines confirmed that the flight was diverted due to galley fumes and apologized to customers for the disruption. The airline explained that its maintenance team would inspect the aircraft to determine the source of the issue. Passengers were offered support and rebooking options to help them reach their final destinations.

The airline reiterated that safety remained the guiding factor behind the decision to return to Heathrow.

The event highlights how established safety systems and rapid emergency response teams at major international airports help reduce risk during in-flight incidents. Fume reports, while concerning, are managed under strict procedures to protect passengers and crew.

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