A Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Tel Aviv was returned to London on Monday night after a person shone a laser at the plane from the ground, a Virgin Airlines spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post.
The airline addressed the decision to turn the flight around after the laser beam incident, saying "The safety and security of our people and our customers is paramount and this was a precautionary step taken by the operating crew."
Passengers on the flight were offered overnight accommodation, and the airline apologized for the inconvenience.
"As is standard procedure for a laser incident, we swiftly notified the police and remain in close contact with them and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),” said the airline.
The flight was over Paris at the time of the incident and the person who shone the beam into the cockpit was arrested, The Jerusalem Post's sister publication Maariv reported.