Malaysia Airlines flight hit trouble again

A Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to India has turned back due to a defect with the plane's auto-pilot system.

Flight MH198 from Kuala Lumpur to Hyderabad departed late on Saturday, but the Boeing 737-800 turned back due to an auto-pilot defect.

It landed back in Malaysia's capital almost four hours later after circling to burn fuel in the air.

"The defect did not have any impact on the safety of the aircraft or passengers, however as a precautionary measure, the operating captain decided to turn back," the airline said in a statement.

The flight has been rescheduled to depart Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

The loss-making airline has had a difficult year.

Flight MH370 disappeared in March and Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in July.

Last month, MAS said it would slash nearly a third of its 20,000 workforce and cut back its global route network as part of a radical 6 billion ringgit ($2.1 billion) restructuring following the devastating impact of the two jetliner disasters.

-reuters