Talk about bad luck! An American Boeing 777 flying from Boston to London had to divert to New York over a maintenance issue. American quickly found a replacement plane to carry passengers to London, only for that to then divert to Boston over a maintenance issue, meaning passengers ended up exactly where they started (thanks to Simon for flagging this, and to The Aviation Herald for reporting this).
In this post:
American 777 diverts to New York over gear issue
This incident happened on Monday, July 20, 2026, and involves American flight AA108, scheduled to operate from Boston (BOS) to London (LHR). The flight was operated by a 27-year-old Boeing 777-200ER with the registration code N772AN.
The flight took off from Boston at 8:30PM, but the crew couldn’t retract the landing gear. While this doesn’t pose any sort of an immediate safety risk, you of course don’t want to fly across the Atlantic that way.
Rather than diverting back to Boston, American instead decided to divert to New York (JFK), so that a replacement plane could be arranged, to carry passengers to London… that’s smart planning!
So the plane flew at a maximum altitude of 5,000 feet, and ended up landing in New York at 10PM, exactly 1hr30min after it first departed.
American 777 diverts to Boston over engine issue
American deserves credit for trying to efficiently find a replacement aircraft and crew for passengers, because within a few hours, people were on their way to London. At this point we’re talking about Tuesday, July 21, 2026, as a 26-year-old replacement Boeing 777-200ER with the registration code N784AN was assigned for the mission.
The plane took off from New York at 1:26AM, climbed up to 37,000 feet, and started its Atlantic crossing. However, around 40 minutes after takeoff, the crew decided to divert, reportedly due to some sort of engine problems.
This time around, the plane diverted to Boston, the closest major airport from its location. The plane landed there at 3:15AM, 1hr49min after it departed.
Let me emphasize that the initial flight departed Boston at 8:30PM the night before, so passengers ended up back exactly where they started, 6hr45min after their initial takeoff. Funny enough, that’s longer than the typical flight time from Boston to London.
Bottom line
When it rains it pours, as American had a very tough time operating a simple flight from Boston to London. First the Boeing 777 had to divert to New York over a gear issue. They quickly found a replacement plane, only for that 777 to then divert to Boston over an engine issue.
Obviously this represents some spectacularly bad luck, as passengers ended up exactly where they started, nearly seven hours after their initial takeoff.
What do you make of this not-so-seamless journey to London?
Supposed to be a daily flight, but did not operate the day before (July 19). Was that flight canceled, so some of the passengers were on their second attempt?
The 777-200ERs, like every older fleet, has increased number of mechanicals. Statistically, two aircraft in the same fleet should not fail to deliver on a back to back basis but life does not live on the basis of statistics but rather reality.
Many criticize AA for getting rid of 767s and A330s but significant numbers of those fleets for AA had high rates of mechanical problems or had old and outdated interiors.
AA is trying...
The 777-200ERs, like every older fleet, has increased number of mechanicals. Statistically, two aircraft in the same fleet should not fail to deliver on a back to back basis but life does not live on the basis of statistics but rather reality.
Many criticize AA for getting rid of 767s and A330s but significant numbers of those fleets for AA had high rates of mechanical problems or had old and outdated interiors.
AA is trying to make the decision whether to keep the 772ERs but the Rolls Royce engines on that fleet are reliable and are supported by the manufacturer. In contrast, UA has a number of its Pratt and Wnitney 777s - 200As and ERs - that are grounded because of a lack of parts.
UA is reportedly interested in some of Boeing's early build 777Xs that other airlines like Emirates are saying they won't accept but are built and could be pressed into service fairly quickly.
Fleet management is not for the faint of heart and there are very long term consequences of getting it wrong.
The 77E at American Airlines is quickly becoming the 767-300ER experience it had just prior to the pandemic. In short, these planes are old. They were last overhauled a decade ago.
Operationally, American is a mess.
and yet AA struggles w/ the decision to replace them or spend about $10 million per plane to overhaul the cabins in order to make them competitive.
They will still be fuel inefficient and also prone to mechanical problems but AA doesn't have the cash or the ability to take on debt to replace them even as they need to expand their international fleet.
That's a bit of 'pot calling the kettle,' no? In terms of age, and relative mechanical issues, AA's older 772s are comparable to DL and UA's 767s, 757s. Sure, it'd be nice to see only E2, 220s, neos, 787s, 773s, and a350s out there, but... even newer aircraft can still have issues (thanks P&W!)
first, the difference is that the 767s comprise a much smaller portion of DL and UA's than the 772s do for AA. DL has and continues to take delivery of significant numbers of new 339s (a possibility for AA) and 350s while UA is taking delivery of 787s at a pretty good clip; UA also flies the 772 but many of them are already grounded by engine issues so they aren't having the mechanical issues...
first, the difference is that the 767s comprise a much smaller portion of DL and UA's than the 772s do for AA. DL has and continues to take delivery of significant numbers of new 339s (a possibility for AA) and 350s while UA is taking delivery of 787s at a pretty good clip; UA also flies the 772 but many of them are already grounded by engine issues so they aren't having the mechanical issues that older aircraft would be prone to having.
and an even larger difference is that DL is actively retiring 757s (which largely do not fly international routes) and 767-300ERs while AA has stopped widebody retirements - they did them en masse during the pandemic - and UA has a big case of FOMO so is not retiring any widebodies while they figure out how to deal w/ their aging 772 fleet and the PW engine issues - which, as rumored, might include a fast acquisition of not-up-to-snuff 777Xs but which will be better supported than the PW 777s.
so, no, it's not pot calling kettle language but a fact-based discussion of fleet strategies
Nothing new or surprising here.
AA is a mess as far as operations and reliability goes. What else can one expect from an airline that has "American" in its name...
Nomen est omen.
Boston to London, darn. Had it been UK to US, then UK261 would have applied, and all those passengers would have been compensated for the delay. Instead, because we in the US hate consumers and love corporations, nothing. They get nothing. Nada. Other than a ‘deal with it.’ And a ‘pound sand.’ And a ‘kick rocks.’
In addition to compensation, UK261 (like EU261) has a far better ‘duty of care,’ including overnight accommodation, if needed. In the US, it’s up to the airlines’ discretion. Huh. Wonder if American’s feeling generous, these days. (No. Oh, of course. Yeah. 2026. Mhm.)
Every plane ready to fly at the start of every day. - Robert Isom