A Boeing 747-8 operating a transatlantic flight for German flag carrier and Star Alliance founding member Lufthansa had to return to its point of origin yesterday evening after reportedly experiencing issues with its landing gear. The quadjet left Chicago for Frankfurt, but touched back down in the Windy City 75 minutes later.

While the issues seemingly became evident fairly early on in the flight, the fueled-up double-decker widebody would likely have been too heavy to make an immediate return to Chicago . As such, it flew northward out over Lake Michigan, where it performed a handful of holding patterns, presumably in order to burn its excess fuel. This allowed it to make a safe landing back in Chicago, where the jet remains.

The Flight Was Much Shorter Than Expected

Lufthans

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