Passengers have ‘new fear unlocked’ after plane flies for nine hours but lands back at same airport it took off from

Passengers onboard a recent American Airlines flight have admitted they have a 'new fear unlocked' after an American Airlines plane they sat on for nine hours landed at the same airport it took off from.

We've heard many nightmarish travel stories over recent months, including some horror shows on cruise ships.

A recent event certainly ranks high among the worst travel stories as it saw passengers flying out of Dallas for five hours before returning back.

Passengers on the American Airlines flight from the Texas city to Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, on September 7 were in the air for nine hours in total just to return to the airport the plane took off from.

Jimin Lee, who was on board the American Airlines flight, took her smartphone out to record the commotion.

The passenger posted the clip to Instagram, which sees Lee enjoying a snack and a soft drink as the plane turns around.

"New fear unlocked: Your flight to Korea may go five hours and come back with zero explanation," Lee explained in the caption.

The passenger went on to say the airline staff said there was a problem with the toilets, while the pilot reportedly asked if someone was 'carrying a screwdriver' to help fix the issue.

"American Airlines needs a lesson in effective communication," Lee added in the video as snaps of the plane's flight path are shown on the screen in front of her.

The flight path showed how the aircraft had travelled across the US, before heading over parts of the Pacific Ocean when it was forced to head back.

Increasingly frustrated by the lack of clarity by American Airlines, Lee dived into some Flaming Hot Cheetos, though she required 'a ramyun and a strong drink'.

The viral video then cut to landing in Dallas, with the pilot confirming there were 'clear skies' for landing.

Lee concluded: "Nine hours later we're back in Dallas. Lost for words."

Many have flocked to the comments section of the viral Instagram video.

"If there is an ounce of anything potentially going wrong or messing up when doing a leg over the ocean, pilots will be more cautious than normal. This is totally normal," one person remarked.

While a second pointed out: "They should have just landed in SFO, or LAX instead of going all the way back to Dallas. Makes no sense, probably didn’t want pay for the hotels."

An American Airlines spokesperson told UNILAD: "On September 7, American Airlines flight 281 with service from Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) to Seoul (ICN) returned to DFW due to a maintenance issue. The flight landed safely and without incident at DFW, and the aircraft was taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team. We never want to disrupt our customers' travel plans, and we apologize for the inconvenience."

The airline stated the flight re-departed on a replacement aircraft the next day.