Boeing 787 Returns to London After Short Flight to Bogotá

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating as Avianca flight AV121 was forced to return to London less than two hours after takeoff on March 15, 2024. The aircraft, which was en route from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogotá, Colombia, had been airborne for just over one hour when it turned back, landing safely at LHR at 23:27 local time.

Flight AV121 is a regular service that operates daily, departing at 22:05 and typically arriving in Bogotá around 03:00 the following morning. On this occasion, the flight turned around just off the north coast of Cornwall, England, while cruising at an altitude of approximately 37,500 feet. The reason for the diversion remains unclear, but preliminary discussions on social media platforms suggest a possible medical emergency may have been a factor. Avianca has been contacted for further details regarding the incident and will provide an update as soon as possible.

Details About the Aircraft and Previous Diversions

The aircraft involved in this incident is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with the registration number N783AV. According to fleet data from CH-Aviation, this is one of 16 Boeing 787-8s operated by Avianca, a member of the Star Alliance. The average age of these aircraft is 9.7 years, while N783AV is slightly older at 10.67 years. This particular Dreamliner was ordered by Avianca in October 2006 and made its first test flight in November 2014, entering service in December of that year. It has a total seating capacity of 291, divided into 271 economy seats and 20 business class seats.

This is not the first time N783AV has had to divert while operating flight AV121. Data from Flightradar24 indicates that the aircraft previously diverted to Cali, Colombia, during a flight in April 2025.

A Trend of Diversions on the London-Bogotá Route

The London-Bogotá route has experienced several diversions in recent years. Notably, in September 2022, an engine malfunction over the Atlantic Ocean forced a London-bound service to land at Lajes (TER) in the Azores. Following that, Avianca arranged a charter flight to transport passengers from the Azores to London.

More recently, in December 2024, engine problems caused flight AV121 to divert to Ponta Delgada (PDL) in the Azores, again impacting the right-hand Trent 1000 engine. As diversions can occur for various reasons, this pattern raises questions about the operational reliability of the aircraft and the route itself.

For now, N783AV is grounded at London Heathrow Airport, with plans to operate the same flight to Bogotá later tonight. The safety of passengers remains the priority as Avianca works to resolve the circumstances surrounding last night’s diversion. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.