Plane returns to Amsterdam after door found open

AMSTERDAM, Nov 28 (Reuters) A Dutch KLM 747 plane with 277 passengers bound for Bangkok had to turn back to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport after the plane took off with one of its doors slightly open, the airline said.

''Shortly after take off, door number 24, in the rear right-hand side, it was discovered that the handle wasn't fully pushed down,'' said Hugo Baas, a spokesman for KLM, part of Air France KLM.

''That resulted in an opening in the side of the door making a lot of noise, so the captain decided to turn around,'' Baas said. ''The passengers were not in danger. They saw cabin attendants trying to fully close the door which didn't work.'' The plane landed safely, and the door was repaired, but the flight was cancelled yesterday because of a faulty fuel pump. The passengers were checked into hotels and scheduled on other flights.

REUTERS SSC RK1842