Unexpected stop leaves passengers frustrated
An American Airlines flight traveling from Texas to Spain was unexpectedly diverted to New York on Wednesday night due to an issue with the plane’s bathroom. The flight, which departed from Dallas, was forced to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport after the crew discovered the problem shortly after takeoff.
Bathroom issue forces emergency landing
The flight landed at JFK around 10:30 p.m., leaving passengers disappointed and frustrated as their trip to Madrid was delayed. The airline arranged for the passengers to continue their journey the following day on a different aircraft.
Airline’s response and apology
In a statement, an American Airlines spokesperson confirmed that the diversion was caused by overflowing sinks, which led to what they described as a “maintenance issue.” The spokesperson apologized for the disruption, saying, “On August 7, American Airlines flight 36 with service from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Madrid (MAD) diverted to New York (JFK) due to a maintenance issue. The aircraft landed normally and is scheduled to re-depart [Thursday] evening on a new aircraft. We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans and apologize for the inconvenience.”
FAA investigation and recent incidents
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the incident. This is not the first time a flight has been diverted due to an unexpected issue. In July, a Delta Airlines flight from Detroit to Amsterdam made an emergency landing at JFK after passengers reportedly consumed spoiled food. That flight touched down in New York at 4 a.m. due to concerns about the in-flight meal service.