pax
We finally flew back to LGW with Flaps, Speed brakes and gear extended -very very noisy and bumpy ( climb power to descend !)
If you are over max weight for a return, then lowering the gear and extending the speed brakes are ways (along with dumping fuel) of increasing the rate at which fuel is burnt, hence arriving at the airport quicker. The 'bumpiness' may have been due to atmospheric conditions rather than anything else. As for climb power to descend, that is most unlikely, neigh bollox!