A Virgin Australia flight from Los Angeles to Brisbane was forced to turn around mid-air and make an emergency landing last night after a crack was found in the plane's windscreen.

Passengers had only been in the air for about half an hour when they were told they were heading back to Los Angeles.

Shari Price, from Adelaide, was on board the flight travelling back home from her first trip overseas.

The plane was forced to divert over a crack on the windscreen. (Nicholas Darcy Atkins)

“Everyone was frustrated at first then the plane went silent for ages I think everyone started to worry in their own heads,” the 23-year-old told ninemsn.

“When we landed it sounded more serious than what they had let on in the air which was obviously to keep us calm.”

A Virgin Australia spokeswoman told AAP the flight has landed safely in Los Angeles "without incident" this evening after the flight conducted an air return as a precautionary measure.

Passengers exit the plane. (Nicholas Darcy Atkins)

Ms Price said the airline did a great job putting passengers up at hotels overnight despite the Special Olympics World Games being held in town.

“All passengers have become really close so feels like a big family vacation now, especially at our buffet breakfast,” she said.

Ms Price this morning boarded a plane back to Brisbane.

However, not all passengers were so complimentary.

Passenger Anthony Shaw took to Twitter to express his outrage over Virgin’s handling of the delay.

“I spent hours waiting on the phone trying to move flights booking & upgrade. Completely unprepared for something like this," he tweeted.