The Airbus A321neo made the 700-mile, 91-minute flight on Wednesday, departing Stansted and flying north to the Lake District and Scotland before returning. A government spokesman said it was a maintenance flight that had to take place by Sunday to avoid extra costs, but sources said The sun that the fact that there were 12 State Department officials on board meant that it was essentially a “joy”. After taking off at 1.30pm, the plane flew north over the Lake District towards the spa town of Moffat, near Dumfries, before turning around. Landed back at Stansted
