New Delhi:
A Tokyo-bound American Airlines flight from New York City was forced to make a U-turn after it encountered a “maintenance issue”.
Flight 167 departed from John F Kennedy International Airport at around 11 am on Monday. Approximately seven hours into the journey, flying over the Pacific Ocean near Alaska, the Boeing 787 had to turn back and travel for another five hours.
It then touched down at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport shortly after 10 pm local time, subjecting passengers to a grueling 12-hour detour.
Passengers, many of whom braced for a 14-hour direct flight to Tokyo, found themselves stranded overnight in Dallas.
“We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans, and we are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused,” American Airlines told Fox News in a statement, adding the flight had to be diverted due to “a maintenance issue”.
According to airlive.net, travellers eventually made it to Tokyo after another 13 hours the following day. They were all provided accommodations.
The report said that Dallas was likely chosen as the diversion point due to American Airlines’ main hub being there, allowing for a replacement aircraft and crew.
Landing at the nearest airport – such as Seattle or Denver – may have seemed like a more immediate option, but Dallas was a more practical choice for logistics. A diverted flight can cause ripple effects for an airline’s schedule.
Earlier, an American Airlines flight from New York to Delhi was forced to land in Rome after 15 hours in the air due to a bomb threat. The February flight was escorted by Italian fighter jets before landing safely. No immediate threats were found.
AloJapan.com