A Delta Air Lines flight from Heathrow to Detroit was forced to return to the London airport due to a cracked windscreen.
The airline’s flight 017 was carrying 188 passengers and 12 crew when the pilot reported the fault shortly after take-off at 11.44am on Saturday.
The crew followed procedure by turning around and returning to Heathrow, where the plane landed safely a short time later, the airline told the BBC.
Some passengers were re-booked onto later flights that day while others who could not get onto flights until Sunday were offered meals and hotel rooms, it said.
The aircraft, an Airbus A330-200, was assessed and maintenance was being carried out, according to the airline.
No other flights were disrupted as a result, the BBC reported.
It is the latest incident to hit a flight from London.
An EasyJet flight from Gatwick to Marrakesh was forced to divert and land in Portugal last month after a raucous stag do on board.