Overview

• Flight QF63, an Airbus A380 (VH-OQL), departed Sydney at 10:13 AEST and returned to the same runway 9 hours 20 minutes later, according to Flightradar24.
• Qantas said a satellite communications system fault prompted the decision to reverse course over the ocean, with reports placing the turn south of Tasmania.
• No mayday or emergency call was made, a Qantas spokesman told NewsWire.
• About 410 passengers were accommodated in Sydney, and a replacement service is scheduled for Wednesday at 13:00 from Terminal 1.
• The aircraft is undergoing engineering inspection to determine the cause on a long over-water route that offers limited diversion options and is Qantas’s only link to Africa.