SINGAPORE - A Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight from Singapore to Shanghai was delayed for four hours on Thursday (May 26) due to a technical problem.

Flight SQ830, an Airbus 380-800, was due to depart Changi Airport at 9.45am but left at only 1.46pm.

The 327 passengers and crew on board took a different aircraft to their destination.

Mr Lee Beng Hai, 69, told The Straits Times that he sent his friends to the airport at 7.20am, and the group of about 20 people were still waiting for the plane to depart at 1.30pm.

They were initially told there the plane had a computer glitch, then that there was problem with the landing gear, the retiree said.

"After initial repairs, the plane was said to be ready for takeoff but then it was aborted again due to the landing gear problem," he said.

Passengers were told to disembark and wait for another plane, he wrote in an e-mail.

His friend questioned if the plane should have had a "full system check" before boarding, he added.

A spokesman for SIA said the plane "experienced a technical issue with the landing gear system while it was on ground".

"The aircraft returned to gate twice for engineering checks, after which a replacement aircraft was deployed."

All passengers were served light refreshments prior to boarding, SIA said. Mr Lee said these included biscuits, and that his friends were given a report on the cause of the delay.