Delta flight forced to return to Atlanta airport twice

Delta Air Lines passengers woke up Wednesday morning in an Atlanta hotel, not London, after their flight was forced to return to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for a second time overnight Tuesday.

Flight 284 left the airport about 8 p.m. Tuesday. At some point, pilots heard a loud noise and decided to turn around, Delta spokeswoman Sarah Lora told Channel 2 Action News.

After landing safely at 9:21 p.m., the passengers were put on a replacement plane, which left the airport shortly after midnight. 

However, that plane was turned around “out of an abundance of safety” after the pilot and others reported hearing another loud, unusual noise, Lora told the news station.

Airplane mechanics are still looking at the two planes trying to determine what the problems were, she said.

Passenger Alex Brown said he heard the loud banging during the second flight.

“It was like someone dropping a lead ball on the floor,” he told Channel 2. “And (a Delta official) came back on and said we’re going to turn around. Everything is OK with the airplane but ... we’re going to turn around” as a precaution.

Delta put Brown and other passengers in a hotel.

They are now scheduled to fly out of Atlanta at 6 p.m.