Mechanical issues force American Airlines Charlotte to London flight to land in NYC
An American Airlines flight from Charlotte to London made an unplanned landing in New York City early Thursday, the airline told The Charlotte Observer.
The Boeing 777-200 aircraft was headed for Heathrow Airport and carrying 264 passengers and 12 crew members. It diverted from its route due to a “possible mechanical issue,” airline spokeswoman Amy Lawrence said.
According to flight tracking site FlightAware, the plane departed Charlotte Douglas International Airport at 11:03 p.m. Wednesday, a little less than an hour behind schedule. The American Airlines Flight No. 732 circled near Long Island, New York, before landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport at 2:38 a.m.
Total travel time was three hours and 37 minutes.
The plane landed safely and without incident, the airline said. Passengers deplaned normally, and Lawrence said the airline apologized for the inconvenience caused.
Passengers are scheduled to depart from JFK airport at 9:40 p.m. Thursday. The airline told the Observer that travelers were offered accommodation on other flights based on availability.
American Airlines did not share additional details on the nature of the possible mechanical issue or when exactly the plane diverted its route.
Summer flight diverted over the ocean
American Airlines is the dominant carrier at Charlotte Douglas, which ranks as the fifth busiest airport in the world.
It’s not the first time an American Airlines flight headed to or from Charlotte has been diverted in the last several months.
In June, a plane bound for CLT from Rome turned around over the Atlantic Ocean and landed in Madrid, Spain, after five hours and 24 minutes of travel time. That unplanned landing was also due to possible mechanical troubles, according to the airline.
This story was originally published October 6, 2022 at 5:08 PM.
