Why an American Airlines flight to Hawaii had to return to Phoenix
A flight to paradise hit a snag after less than an hour in the sky.
American Airlines Flight 675 left Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport around 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, on its way to Hawaii via Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu.
But the flight returned to Sky Harbor after the crew reported a "possible maintenance issue" with the Airbus A321 used for the flight, American Airlines spokesman Jason Kadah said.
While Kadah said the airline's maintenance teams continue to investigate the incident, a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration said it was a brake issue.
The plane "returned safely" to Sky Harbor, the FAA stated. No injuries were reported.
The A321 jet was in the air for less than 45 minutes and reached an altitude of 28,000 feet before it turned around near Palm Springs, California, flight tracking data from FlightAware showed . It returned to Sky Harbor around 3:15 p.m.
Passengers were accommodated on a later flight to Hawaii on a jet parked next door to the return gate, Kadah said. The flight took off around 5:30 p.m. Arizona time and arrived in Honolulu around 8:45 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time, about three and a half hours behind schedule, according to FlightAware.
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Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who's covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic's consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@usatodayco.com .
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why an American Airlines flight to Hawaii had to return to Phoenix
