Updated

Officials say a United Airlines flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles took off and returned to the airport twice because of an electrical odor on board.

Passengers and crew on board Flight 1196 noticed what they described as an electrical odor shortly after taking off at about 7 a.m. Wednesday.

United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson says the captain decided to return to Honolulu.

Mechanics checked the plane and the odor dissipated. But the smell returned when the Boeing 757-300 took off a second time just after 12 p.m.

The plane returned to Honolulu once more.

Passengers were traveling to Los Angeles on other flights.

Johnson says the airline is sorry for the inconvenience.