American Airlines flight makes nine-hour U‑turn over restroom concerns
Passengers on an American Airlines flight from Dallas, Texas, to Seoul, South Korea, were shocked when the plane unexpectedly turned around after five hours of travel. "New fear unlocked," commented a traveller who described the situation on her Instagram.
The incident occurred on the route from the USA to South Korea. One of the travellers, Jimin Lee, criticised the airline online for not explaining this unexpected decision.
The plane turned around after five hours of flight
In a video shared on Instagram, Lee showed the screen on the headrest of her seat, which depicted the flight path. The plane was flying over the United States and part of the Pacific before turning back to Texas.
"Just relax and enjoy the rest of our flight," the passenger heard from the flight crew over the intercom. Lee joked that her soul left her body from nerves at that moment.
The flight was allegedly interrupted because some of the toilets were not working. The traveller explained that the crew needed a screwdriver for the repair, which no one on board had. The plane eventually returned to Dallas after nine hours from takeoff. Lee then reached Korea on the next flight.
The real reason for the plane turning back remains unknown
Instagram users sympathised with her, expressing concern. One person wrote: "‘Just relax’ would have me reeeeling with anxiety." Another user added: "I hope you didn’t have kids with you! Yikes, that is so scary!" Someone else confessed: "I avoid American Airlines at all costs."
Some believe that the pilots wanted to avoid panic, which is why they did not announce the exact reason for the sudden return. Although the issue remains unknown, flight captains often make such decisions for various, sometimes strange reasons, such as someone's diarrhoea or a laptop stuck in a seat that could cause a fire.
