Anthony Yates
A Delta Air Lines plane made an unusual detour after one of the pilots fell ill on board. The aircraft eventually reached its destination, nine hours behind schedule.
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What happened: According to a report by Business Insider, Delta Airlines flight 389 departed from Detroit on Saturday en route to Shanghai at around 10:30 AM local time. Even without delays, passengers expected a 16-hour trip.
- Business Insider cites flight-tracking data, which reportedly shows the aircraft changed course off the Alaskan coast, five hours into the journey.
- The outlet explains that the Airbus 350 then flew toward Los Angeles instead, a diversion that took over three hours.
- Audio from Air Traffic Control reportedly reveals that one of the pilots fell ill during the flight. A spokesperson confirmed with Business Insider that the reroute was caused by a “sick crew member.”
Why reroute to Los Angeles?: The diversion looks strange on a map, but it actually makes sense from an air traffic perspective. Delta has several ‘hub’ airports, one of those being LAX. It’s easier for airlines to arrange replacement staff and or repairs at those specific ports.
The Delta Plane Took Off After A Stop In LA
Better late than never: Business Insider cites Flight Radar, which indicates that the Airbus 350 left LAX roughly three and a half hours after landing.
- The flight was scheduled to arrive in Shanghai at 2 PM, but delays meant it did not arrive until 11 PM. A spokesperson for Delta reportedly said, “The flight landed without incident and taxied to the gate. We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel.”
- The pilot’s condition remains unclear.
Delta Airlines has made headlines several times more recently. Last month, concerned passengers on board flight 1893 spotted a piece of the aircraft wing appearing to come loose. One traveler recorded a short video of the damage, which looked notably worse once the aircraft landed. A spokesperson confirmed that engineers took the plane out of service for maintenance after the incident.
Back in July, a plane reportedly almost landed on top of a Delta aircraft at an airport in Mexico City. Delta reported the near miss to Mexican aviation authorities, the FAA, and the US National Transportation Safety Board.
