A plane from London to Bermuda had to turn back mid-flight on Friday due to Hurricane Bill but one inconvenienced traveller has praised British Airways for its handling of the situation.

The flight left Gatwick Airport on time and was well over the Atlantic when the pilot was ordered to turn around and head back to England due to the weather.

Passenger Jennie Watlington, from Pembroke, said it was "very disconcerting" when the announcement was made but that airline staff "went out of their way" to reassure travellers.

"I had visions of sleeping on the airport floor but I was really pleased with the way BA dealt with what was a very difficult situation," she said. "BA treated us extremely well and in a very considerate manner."

She added: "They did give priority to all the local residents going home, to the best of my knowledge, with regard to getting us on the Saturday flight."

A BA spokeswoman said yesterday that the airline got as many passengers as possible onto the Saturday flight, which left London at about 6 p.m.

"The flight was pretty full," she said. "The other passengers have been put on Sunday's flight, tonight's flight and Tuesday's flight. A lot of people cancelled completely."

She said 124 people were on the flight which had to turn back. "London operations...ordered the aircraft to return to Gatwick once they received an updated weather forecast," said the spokeswoman.

"This showed that changing conditions near Bermuda would have made it extremely difficult for both the landing on arrival as well as the take off on departure.

"British Airways will never compromise the safety of their passengers and apologise for the disruption they have faced in both London and Bermuda."