Engine vibration grounds Qantas jet

An engine is being replaced on a Qantas passenger jet after an engine vibration forced a Melbourne-bound flight to return to Hong Kong.

A Qantas spokeswoman said the Airbus A330 jet returned to Hong Kong immediately after take-off when the vibration was detected on Monday night.

Passengers were placed on alternative flights to Melbourne.

"At no point was the safety of the aircraft or the passengers compromised," the spokeswoman said.

"The aircraft is undergoing an engine changeover in Hong Kong, and we are still assessing when it will be returned to service."

The incident follows another last Thursday in which a Melbourne-bound Qantas Airbus A380 was forced to return to Los Angeles because of a problem with a fuel pump.