Oversized American Airlines Plane Forces Detour in Italy, Passengers Bus 140 Miles to Final Destination

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from American Airlines

Passengers on an American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Naples, Italy, experienced an unexpected detour when their aircraft had to land 140 miles away in Rome due to its size, resulting in a lengthy bus ride to their final destination.

American Airlines Flight 780 departed Philadelphia International Airport at 7:42 p.m. local time on Monday, with a scheduled arrival at Naples International Airport at 10 a.m. local time the next day. But just as the aircraft approached the Italian coastline, it abruptly turned around mid-flight over the Tyrrhenian Sea and rerouted to Rome Fiumicino Airport.

The reason: the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, used for this flight, was reportedly too large to safely land at Naples Airport under the given conditions. This model is approximately 20 feet longer than the Boeing 787-8, which is typically deployed by the airline on this route.

American Airlines jet

American Airlines cited "operational limitations" as the cause for the diversion, confirming the change in plans affected 231 passengers and 11 crew members on board.

Once the aircraft landed safely in Rome, passengers were transported by bus to Naples — a trip that took approximately three hours over land. The airline issued an apology to travelers for the disruption caused by the unexpected diversion.

“We apologize to them for this disruption to their journey,” American Airlines stated.

The incident highlights the critical role that aircraft type plays in route planning, especially when operating into smaller or more size-restricted airports. Though the Boeing 787-9 offers greater passenger capacity and range, it also requires more runway and handling infrastructure than its shorter counterpart.

Travelers affected by the incident completed their journey hours later than planned, with some expressing surprise over the logistical miscalculation.