Virgin Atlantic said it’s offering affected passengers overnight accommodation and the flight is scheduled to depart London on Monday.
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The airline said it is working with authorities to identify the source of the “laser beam incident”.
“Inquiries continue to establish where the offence took place”.
An aircraft lands at Heathrow Airport near London, December 11, 2015.
Virgin Atlantic’s flight status website said the First Officer had reported “feeling unwell” following the laser incident, which led to the transatlantic crossing being abandoned.
“We have a medical issue with one of the pilots after a laser incident after take off and we are going to return to Heathrow”, says the pilot.
A new law introduced in 2010 means people could be charged with “shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle the pilot”.
Police have previously warned over high-powered laser pens being aimed at aircraft, saying there could be “disastrous consequences” through disorientation or momentary loss of control.
Metropolitan Police were called to the airport at 9.35pm on Sunday night to reports of a laser being shone at a commercial flight.
“This incident shows why this is becoming more-and-more urgent”.
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It is not unusual for lasers to be shone at flights in Britain with hundreds of such incidents recorded each year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. “There have been no arrests”.
