An American Airlines flight traveling from New York to New Delhi faced an unexpected diversion to Rome due to a security concern. Flight AA 292, originally scheduled to reach New Delhi, landed safely at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International Airport after the captain informed passengers of a change in the flight's "security status." The incident unfolded approximately three hours before the plane was due to land in Delhi.
Upon arrival in Rome, law enforcement conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft. The security concern, initially causing alarm, was later deemed "non-credible" by the airline. After the inspection, authorities cleared the plane for re-departure, allowing passengers to resume their journey to India.
The unexpected turn of events began with the captain alerting passengers to the situation, which was initially met with calmness. Among the passengers was Neeraj Chopra, who noted that the atmosphere remained composed after the announcement. However, Chopra admitted that tension rose when the captain later disclosed that fighter jets would escort their plane to Rome.
"There's got to be like something bigger going on here." – Neeraj Chopra
Shortly before the unscheduled landing, fighter jets were seen flying over Rome's airport, adding to the heightened sense of urgency. After the plane touched down, fire trucks were visibly stationed on one side of the landing strip, ready to respond if necessary. Despite these developments, Rome's airport operations continued normally, according to a spokesman for the airport.
Chopra expressed his feelings about the situation, describing it as a chaotic experience.
"It's been like a pretty chaotic crazy last 24 hours," – Neeraj Chopra
He also mentioned having a new flight scheduled for Monday, allowing him to continue his journey to India with minimal further disruption.