American Airlines flight diverted as plane was too big for destination airport
American Airlines passengers going to Italy had to take the bus 225 kilometers (140 miles) away from their original destination because the plane was too big for the airport.
CBS News, citing aviation tracker FlightAware, reported that the flight with 231 passengers and 11 crew members left Philadelphia on June 2, Monday, at 7:42 p.m. It was supposed to land in Naples the next day at 10 a.m.
But the plane, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, suddenly rerouted when it was about halfway between Naples and Rome.
According to Business Insider, the aircraft abruptly turned around over the Tyrrhenian Sea, west of the Italian mainland. It was only about 70 miles (112 kilometers) away from Naples International Airport before it diverted north to Rome Fiumicino Airport.
After landing at Rome Fiumicino Airport at around 9:45 a.m., passengers were transported to Naples via a three-hour bus ride.
In a statement provided to US media, American Airlines said it had to divert to Rome Fiumicino Airport due to "operational limitations."
Business Insider, citing historical flight data, reported that American Airlines usually flies to Naples with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which is 20 feet shorter than the 787-9. The former also boards 242 passengers vis-à-vis the latter's 290.
Documents from Boeing and the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization also showed that the two planes have different requirements for rescue and firefighting services.
Aeroporti di Roma, the operator of Rome Fiumicino Airport, told PEOPLE Magazine, “Once we were informed of the need for the aircraft to alter its route, we immediately granted clearance to land.”
In its statement, American Airlines did not provide a reason why it flew a bigger plane.
“We apologize to them for this disruption to their journey,” it said.
Airport authorities from Naples and Rome have yet to publicly comment on the incident.
