BEIJING, CHINA - A UNITED Airlines jet headed from Beijing to San Francisco on Sunday was forced to turn around one hour into the flight when crew discovered a problem with the landing gear, Chinese state media reported.

No one was hurt in the incident aboard the Boeing 777-200, which left Beijing at 12.00pm, Xinhua news agency reported.

Crew informed the 281 passengers on board they would have to go back, and the plane landed without incident in Beijing at 2.10pm, the report said.

United arranged for passengers aboard Flight 888 to head to San Francisco aboard another aircraft, which left Beijing about three hours later, it said.

United, the second-largest US carrier, operates more than 3,200 flights a day to US and international destinations, according to the airline's website. -- AFP