Passengers on a domestic US American Airlines flight encountered an unexpected complication when poor weather forced a landing in a foreign nation.
American Airlines Domestic Flight Lands In Foreign Nation
On Saturday, August 3, 2024, American Airlines 2421 from San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) to Miami (MIA) diverted to Nassau (NAS) in the Bahamas due to poor weather in Miami on the Boeing 737-800 jet.
The pilot purportedly asked how many people were carrying their passports and the reason for that became clear when the crew “timed out” (exceeded their maximum duty allowance) and passengers found themselves stranded…with many not even able to enter the country due to not having a passport.
One passenger offered a detailed account of what happened on TikTok:
“We land the plane, we’re sitting on the tarmac for two hours, we got off the plane, turns out the pilot can’t do overtime or something so we had to get off the plane…We got off here, we can’t leave the terminal cos we’re not allowed to be here, we are illegally here and not only can’t we leave the airport, we can’t leave the terminal, we can’t do anything.
“The passengers found themselves herded into a terminal chilled by air conditioning where they were left without food, water, or blankets overnight.
“…Matter of fact we’ve been looking at the computer, after a while they turned the computer off because they didn’t want us looking at it. ‘Now people are having medical emergencies, there’s medication on the plane, It’s on the plane!”
@italiankate @American Airlines #americanairlines #flight #flightdelay #customerservice
12 hours later a rescue flight carried them out of Nassau…it could have been worse…but talk about a particularly annoying diversion! But as American Airlines said, “Operating safely is always our priority—especially in dynamic weather events—and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience experienced as a result of the weather.”
Finally, this is why I always carry my passport, even on domestic trips. These events are rare–as they should be–and I do believe unless it was terribly unsafe to do so, the pilots should have returned to San Juan. But it certainly would have been handy to have your passport, which is why I keep it permanently in my carry-on bag (and not in the seat compartment…).
CONCLUSION
The plight of passengers on AA2241, a domestic flight that landed in a foreign nation, is a great reason to take your passports along even on domestic trips. You never know when a diversion might strike…or the world may implode. Don’t leave your “key” at home.
I’m a little surprised they left them on the tarmac so long – presumably they could have just been let off into the US preclearance areas of the terminal?
They were let into the pre-clearance area, but presumably after the last of the departing passengers on other flights left. Co-mingling of passengers in that weird space of kinda being out of one country and not quite into the next is complicated.
Seem to me to be a rigid rule that needs a little rounding over. If they are piloting a revenue flight and run out of duty time while in a holding pattern for their destination, they should be allowed to complete their mission unless the extension of the duty time is 59 mins or less. If it a union issue, it should be negotiated by AA management, if it is an FAA issue, Mayor Pete should organize a task force to study and recommend changes that result in a safe resolution for the passengers on board the unlucky flight.
@ ed lewis
I’ve had the same thought about timing out. There indeed should be a limited window for pilots and a greater window for flight attendants.
100% legal to fly beyond all times published in extenuating circumstances if already in the air… Once the aircraft touched down in Nassau… no way! I do not extend the 2 hours…what passenger would want me flying them if I am on hour 14 without a break or rest?
I am personally fine with it. Who here has not worked 20 hours straight and been completely functional when emergencies arise?
But the reality is we want more than just stepping up to fly the plane. You are making enough money now to be invested in your company to see and do something as an advocate for the passengers who are now sleeping on the floor as you step over them on the way to your nice hotel room. You don’t have to fly. But you can damn well work to make sure those passengers in your care are properly being handled.
Legal to start, legal to finish… as long as you stay in the air. The moment the airplane touches down though, you turn into a pumpkin.
At least it isn’t like Amtrak where if the crew has “died on the law” the train stops no matter where it is. I had it happen once where the train was literally 1.5 miles from Pittsburgh (after a very long night where our original locomotive had caught fire and we stopped in middle of nowhere for hours with no power). We sat for 3 hours waiting for another crew to come and take us the 10 minutes or so into the station. What ended up happening was Norfolk Southern got sick of our 12 hour delayed train blocking their rails so they send a crew/engine to pull us in.
I always carry one of my passports when traveling, even domestic. Never know when you might need to leave the country quick, fast, and in a hurry. Also saved me once with US Airways where I was able to get home only because I had my passport and the agent was able to send me on a manually built connection via Montreal.
‘One’ of your passports? Haha
I don’t think that you need to worry about having your passport traveling from DC to Nashville. bur yes, going some place surrounded by open water and other countries, yes, it makes sense.
I tend to disagree. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve lost or misplaced my license on domestic trips and my passport bailed me out during hotel check in etc.
Most people aren’t prone to losing or misplacing stuff as frequently as you. And you can still access security with a credit card or something else, but it’s more time consuming. The situation in the article is a lot different than what you are referencing–getting through TSA
Your passport card and global entry card are also handy things to have in the case of a misplaced DL
I keep my passport with me at all times. It has proved useful for a number of domestic chores, but once travel commences you have a better ability to control your destiny if something arises.
I remember researching flying to Puerto Rico several years ago, I was told have your passport handy just in case of diversion…
No, never taking my passport with me on domestic flights. Way too much risk in carrying it around when not necessary. Now, was the weather bad in the entire state of Florida? Why couldn’t they divert to another airport that was in the US? If their destination was Miami, don’t think it was way too far to try another FL airport.
Umm, it’s not gold bullion. It’s a passport. Easily placed inside your briefcase when not in use. And if you lose it? Just get a new one. I’ve done it twice over the years in under 72 hours when needed. It’s your ticket to ride. Always carry it. You never know when you may need it.
I travel light and having the passport with me will make me anxious. A colleague from work made the mistake to leave his passport inside his backpack during a trip to Oakland, CA. He was stupid and left his backpack inside the trunk of his car locked at the parking lot of a Whole Foods while he went inside to grab something quick. He came back and his car had been vandalized and his belongings were gone. Interesting that he could trace his AirTag inside the backpack to a homeless camp close by but when he talked the cops they said there was nothing they could do. Guy had an international trip coming up and getting a new passport in such short notice was a nightmare. A big deal? No, but I prefer to avoid it.
For the continental US, the most likely diversion to a foreign airport might be Toronto.
Most people aren’t prone to losing or misplacing stuff as frequently as you. And you can still access security with a credit card or something else, but it’s more time consuming. The situation in the article is a lot different than what you are referencing–getting through TSA
So they land i the Bahamas, I guess flying that extra 7 minutes to Miami was just too fatiguing for a pilot ? and while it did suck for the passengers, kudos to the Bahamas for literally enforcing immigration laws.
On Saturday August 3rd, I drove from Key West to Miami. The weather was not that bad. Debby veered towards the gulf and missed the Keys and Miami. Shame on AA. This just adds to my long list of why I will not fly AA.
Are we certain passengers with passports were treated any better. If you had a passport, could you just clear Bahamas immigration and enter, or hang out wherever? My understanding of this story is that having a passport didn’t necessarily matter. There’s no way not a single passenger on this flight wasn’t in possession of a passport.
I can only imagine if it were the opposite. A domestic flight in the Bahamas landing in Miami due to bad weather…
If the plane were allowed to land, I believe that passengers without passports/visas would be immediately detained and prohibited from entering the US for at least 5 years…
I wish I could laugh…but sadly you could be right. 🙁
PR Passengers bound for the US mainland are randomly selected for a passport/US ID check just before TSA to catch undocumented aliens sneaking from the neighboring islands. Surprisingly my US passport card which is only valid for entry to and from Canada and select Caribbean islands was accepted.
Whatever happened to that no human is illegal group. How is it working in the real world?