An American Airlines flight from New York to Tokyo had to turn back after 12 hours of flying. Flight 167, which left John F. Kennedy Airport at 10:45 a.m. ET, was headed for Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner crossed the entire U.S. and was flying over the Pacific Ocean near Alaska. At that point, the pilots had to make the decision to return. Instead of turning back to a West Coast airport, the plane flew an additional five hours. It landed in Dallas Fort Worth International Airport at 10 p.m. CT.
The airline explained that the flight diverted because of a maintenance issue that crews couldn’t fix mid-flight. Passengers, who had already spent 12 hours on the plane, were frustrated. Many took to social media to share their anger. One passenger, who paid $2,500 for premium economy tickets, criticized the airline for only offering a Super 8 hotel and $12 food vouchers. Others reported that there were no meals served on the plane. Some passengers only received dried snap peas as snacks.
The next day, the airline put passengers on a flight to Tokyo, but the delay caused significant frustration and inconvenience.
United Airlines Faces Own Flight Diversion
Meanwhile, a United Airlines flight to Shanghai also faced a serious issue last week. A pilot on Flight 198, which had left Los Angeles at 1:44 p.m. PT, realized three hours into the flight that he had forgotten his passport. The flight was diverted back to California, landing in San Francisco at 5 p.m. PT. After the pilot retrieved the passport, the flight took off again at 9 p.m. It landed in Shanghai around 12:30 a.m. local time.
United Airlines provided passengers with meal vouchers and compensation for the delay. However, the late arrival caused problems for many. Some needed to reschedule business plans or drive additional hours after landing.
Both flights highlight the challenges airlines face when unexpected issues arise during long-haul flights. These issues leave passengers dealing with costly delays and disruptions.
