An “unauthorised person” on an ANA flight heading for Tokyo caused the flight to turn around and go back to Los Angeles - after four hours, even though the airline knew there was nothing untoward going on other than a 'simple' mistake.
There was no security or safety threat involved, there was no danger, yet somehow, even in these days of heightened airport security that a passenger, whose identity has not yet been revealed was able after check-in to get into the departure gate area and then to actually board the flight, even past the final boarding checks and on the aircraft. The flight departed as normal and it was only after the passenger told crew four hours into the 11-hour flight that there was an issue that the airline, ANA became aware of the problem.
Why the aircraft had to turn around after four hours, even after ANA and Los Angeles Airport had worked out it was an 'innocent' mistake has not been advised to the 150 passengers onboard the flight some of which took to Twitter to comment on the situation. American model, Chrissy Teigen, who was on the flight tweeted “A flying first for me: 4 hours into an 11 hour flight and we are turning around because we have a passenger who isn’t supposed to be on this plane. Why...why do we all gotta go back, I do not know.” and “Why did we all get punished for this one person’s mistake?” she asked. “Why not just land in Tokyo and send the other person back? How is this the better idea, you ask? We all have the same questions.”
Local police confirmed it was a simple mix up, yet an investigation is underway to establish how such a mistake could take place that allows an international passenger with a ticket and boarding pass for a different airline to board the wrong flight and for it to depart.
ANA refused to comment when we asked for a response.
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