Questions Arose About A U.S. Passenger

A British Airways flight from London to Mexico turned back over the Atlantic Ocean Friday when a questions came up about one of the passengers on board.

"BA Flight 243 returned to Heathrow on Friday afternoon due to a data discrepancy with a US citizen. The passenger was asked to leave, which he duly did, and collected his bags," said a BA spokesman. The plane was refueled and departed a second time later that afternoon.

The international news service AFP reports that neither the airline nor officials offered any other details about the 55-year-old passenger. It was not known if he was detained or released. 

A security source was quoted in the Sun newspapers saying "This is the first time anyone can recall a British flight being banned from US airspace. It shows how nervous the Americans are when it comes to us."  The person accused of attempting to bring down a U.S. bound Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas day was a Nigerian national, but had studied in London.  He boarded the flight in the Netherlands.

According to a Department for Transport spokeswoman, there was "no breach of security at Heathrow as a result of this incident."

FMI: www.dft.gov.uk