An Air France jet flying from Japan to France diverted to the United States. That’s not something you’d usually expect to see, but it gets at the complications of airspace closures. I want to provide an update, as I’ve been curious about how the logistics would be handled.
Continue reading: Air France 777 Flying From Tokyo To Paris Diverts To Anchorage
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
It was a medical emergency. We were about to receive the plane at FAI but it continued to ANC at the last second.
Flights from HND - CDG generally operate the polar route unless weather dictates, so ANC is not out of the way. Inbound flights CDG - HND operate eastbound over Kazakhstan, China
Without any additional facts, ANC seems like a logical choice tbh. Due to the nature of their location and ops, the Airport is staffed and functional overnight, plus a long runway. Likely DL or AS served the Pax - Major Airlines usually have agreements in place for services at airports they dont serve where they might have a diversion along a route.
...meant to add, however it is likely the crew timed out. Logistically not easy as it is not tech and the crew could rest and carry on later.
However for passengers without ESTAs/Visas it may be a challenge as CBP wont land them and the US has no sterile transit. Delta may provide some support.
There needs to be an International treaty on diversions and what to do with passengers. That is the ability to process them without visas etc to enter and be shuttled to hotels. At the least it would offer choices to airlines as to best airports to divert to knowing which are members of the treaty pact.
Anchorage is more than capable of handling one wayward aircraft. In the summer hotel rooms would be a bit more difficult but this time of year they can accommodate everyone within 15 minutes of the airport. Anchorage used to support nearly all Europe/Eastern Asia traffic. From Anchorage they can reroute everyone through the states today, or simply wait for a replacement aircraft to arrive if needed.
Why so aghast at ANC? European flights to/from NRT operated via ANC on the "Polar Route" for years and years as a fuel stop prior to the introduction of longer range aircraft. And ANC is 24/7, has a large DL presence, fuel, maint if needed, CPB etc. Makes total sense. There is no other reasonable diversion point (short of an actual emergency) until KEF on this route of flight. Resolute (YRB)? Sure, along the way but not going to work out well....
You don't need an ESTA to enter the US and A as far as I know (or there is a new decrete from someone in DC). You need it to board the plane to the US and A. So for most passengers I see no problem entering the US and A.
I'm really about over these people and their medical emergencies. Last time it was a "panic attack" (aka some woman with a bad case of hysterics) that left people on a 12 hour flight to nowhere.
Go have your panic attack or fibromyalgia somewhere in the back galley, stop annoying the rest of us.
@ Dirk reminiscent of that bit about hash in Pulp Fiction, "It's illegal to carry it, but that doesn't really matter 'cause, get a load of this, all right; if you get stopped by the cops in Amsterdam, it's illegal for them to search you."
Dirk, you do need an ESTA or visa to enter the USA, unless you are a US national, green card holder or have the appropriate visa.
Japan is on the ESTA list . Anyone arriving in the USA has to be correctly documented. These passengers and crew have entered the USA by landing there.
Transcontinental Canadian flights actively avoid diverts to the US.
I guess you don't read the news to see how the current US government treats undocumented people, let alone the rest of the world.
When I referenced ''inbound flights CDG - HND operate eastbound'', it means that the aircraft operating flights from Paris to Tokyo.
The only complication is that ANC passenger customs is likely not open in the middle of the night. Cargo carriers regularly "stop in" in the middle of the night and clear cargo from Asia.
Everyone will go hotels and restart sometime later today is my bet
Which doesn't make sense, there's literally nothing 'inbound' about it.
But that's hardly the focus of this article, so let's not clutter the comment section with this nonsense.
the issue is simply the availability of customer service personnel.
DL very likely did handle the flight and they have flights ANC to SEA at 1 am and 6 am.
If AF radioed ahead and said there was potential for cancellation due to the crew timing out, DL people could have likely been ready to assist passengers.
as for the comment below, there needs to be much more done to make it costly for passengers to board aircraft and then cause a diversion including for medical reasons. It is one thing to have a heart attack when you have never had one - even if there were signs you could have one - but quite another for recurring and known medical issues to lead to a diversion.
"Go have your panic attack or fibromyalgia somewhere in the back galley, stop annoying the rest of us."
You sound nice and sane.
Don't foreign carriers who overfly US territory have to divulge passenger manifest? So theoretically ANC CBP would have some knowledge
who was on the flight. Every airport has some kind of holding area or can make one. This was a rarity and I'm sure airports plan for this. DL is a partner and they have staff on hand
My partner was on this flight and has texted me from Anchorage. They’re still in the airport and are being manually processed by border control (7am local time) then they will be taken to a hotel. He said they’ve been told the plane can’t fly for 24 hours (from around 5am local time) so it’s going to be a long day stuck in a holding hotel. No one has ESTAs etc on the plane
My daughter with her 16 classmates & teachers was on this plane and they are still at the airport without any sure information, food & water since last 4-5 hours.
I was actually gonna book this route, I've even checked FR24 in the opposite direction and all looked good since the Tokyo-bound flight takes a normal route via Asia. This is quite disturbing, I avoid any flights anywhere near the US airspace for this reason but it would never occur to me that the return flight takes a different route. Lesson learned, check both directions. And I suppose I'll take some ME3 airline for that Tokyo trip (these are the safest bet anyway, as you're guaranteed they won't take you via Russia or the US as it's never the logical route).
Most countries on the planet, or at least within the civilised world, of course have procedures for this, you don't need a new treaty to cover it. But we're dealing with US CBP here, that's an institution that regularly tells people "they have no rights" so clearly it's not gonna be easy.
Just so people understand, the plane's route didn't really have that big bend in it. The route projected on a flat map is completely different than that on a globe. The most direct routes (not saying this is) on a globe will look curved when projected on a flat map. And the top and bottom of the maps get very distorted the further they get from the center.
For perspective, check out the real size comparison (by map online) of the US and Greenland. Greenland is much smaller than the US but doesn't look like it in this article.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/1hxgq6a/actual_size_of_greenland_or_how_mercator_incl/
The last you want to be is on a long haul flight and have a medical emergency. Let me be even more blunt. If you have a medical condition never step on a plane. Flight attendants aren't EMT, there may not be medical personnel onboard and a suitable airport might not be near by.
I’ve been to Anchorage years ago in July and assuming it’s at the north terminal which has international facilities, and the one I used, there isn’t much there.
Unfortunately they have to wait until the crew are able to operate again.
The article explained that flights from Paris to Japan ie
the “inbound” flight from Paris operates over Turkey, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China to Tokyo.
Whereas the return flight operates the polar route, hence the unplanned stopover in Anchorage.
Had the flight operated westbound to France, it may have had to divert to Mongolia or Kazakhstan.
I strongly do not care if some drooling American thinks I sound nice.
I do, however, care about the well-being of others. I don't believe you get to ruin hundreds of people's wedding guest plans, last day with a loved one in hospice, or that vacation they saved up vacation time for because you're incapable of thinking of others.
The AA-to-DFW story was a woman having a literal 'panic attack'. Nobody in the civilized world even knows this is more than a "go lie down, honey" kinda moment. You morons grew up on people breathing in bags for literally no reason. So now you think it's a real thing.
If you can't travel without having a flight diverted 12 hours to DFW, stranding hundreds of people, maybe you should be tariffed out of flying altogether.
I'd say au revoir, but you and I and don't travel the same places in the same cabin, trust me. So we won't be seeing each other.
Try not to have a panic attack about it.
I took this same flight in Nov, we went west… I think it was a 14hr or so flight!
I hope they enjoy a warm welcome and a pleasant stay in the Trumpist Republic of Magastan.
Yup DL 170 arrived for an unscheduled layover at ANC and promptly cancelled the rest of the flight from Seoul to MSP. Some good times for whatever hotels are getting the business today.
Hi, I was wondering if it might have been closer and/or quicker to divert to Iceland
This has got to be one of the stupidest, most self-indulgent posts I've ever read on OMAAT... No one sets out to have a medical emergency on a plane. No one decides, "I think I'll have a heart attack at 37,000 feet over the polar ice cap." And certainly the only people on board an aircraft who decide to intentionally f*** up the rest of those on the flight are hijackers who want to fly into a tall building somewhere. (At least when they all wanted to go to Cuba, most of the other pax returned safely.) Get your head out of your self-important ass...
What strikes me most about this diversion isn’t just the logistics—it’s how it exemplifies the fragility and ingenuity of global aviation in a post-globalization era. A Tokyo–Paris flight landing in Anchorage used to be unthinkable. But with Russian airspace off-limits, airlines have had to reinvent routing strategies around geopolitical constraints, relying on tailwinds and ETOPS-approved waypoints across vast, remote geographies. It’s a quiet reminder that even in an industry defined by optimization, efficiency sometimes gives way to geopolitics, meteorology, and the unpredictability of human health.
From a decision-making standpoint, diverting to Anchorage was likely driven by a matrix of factors: runway length, medical capability, air traffic control cooperation, and even the availability of customs procedures for an aircraft that’s suddenly off-schedule and off-route. It shows how contingency planning today must account for scenarios that didn’t exist five years ago.
But beyond the operational layer, there’s a deeper truth here. Long-haul aviation has always promised a seamless connection between distant cities—but moments like this reveal the delicate web of coordination, legality, and infrastructure that actually make that illusion work. A single medical issue becomes a diplomatic and logistical ballet involving foreign immigration policies, crew duty limits, ground handling in non-station airports, and global customer service.
To me, this isn’t just a diversion. It’s a snapshot of how modern aviation is constantly adapting—improvising around obstacles while still delivering on the promise of connection in a fragmented world.
That's how we would fly between Tokyo and London or Paris, refueling stop in Anchorage.
There’s a Delta a-350 parked next to it right now- maybe that’s the logistical solution?
14hr TYO-HEL has became a norm with 4 pilots inside the deck, with russian airspace it was 9 with 2 pilots, the money are bleeding.
As Crosscourt states above, refueling in ANC was the norm from the 60s to the 90s, as Soviet airspace was closed (except for a limited number of flights via Moscow). So your statement "A Tokyo–Paris flight landing in Anchorage used to be unthinkable" should be qualified somewhat: it was unthinkable starting in the 90s. ANC must have been a wonderful place for avgeeks at the Hugh point of the polar route. (PA refueled in Fairbanks though.)
I'm flying HND-HEL in September. Hoping for a resolution by then, but not optimistic.
No, the main complication as indicated by Georgia and others, is that most passengers don't have ESTA. This is an issue we will see more and more, with additional countries introducing their version of ESTA.
It's possible that someone could fake (or deliberately have) a medical emergency in order to get diverted into a country and attempt to claim asylum. This would be very selfish, of course.
This is the same reason why the UK ETA initially wanted to include transit passengers: because someone "in transit" could claim asylum and/or fake (or deliberately have) a medical emergency to get out of the transit area.
In any case, anyone who intentionally causes a flight to be diverted by faking (or deliberately having) a medical emergency deserves to be held fully liable for all costs, including fuel costs, hotel costs, etc. in addition to receiving a lifetime ban from the airline (and, if the diversion causes the person to gain entry to another country, the person should face the same criminal penalties as any other illegal alien).
I can confirm the flight is still in Anchorage. AirFrance is unable to organize a new flight for the passengers. Only one gate is able to accommodate the aircraft size. Customer services has been abysmal. They were brought to a hotel and asked to come back this morning (some only able to stay there for 2 hrs, due to long immigration process for all that did not have ESTAs, Visas or were American Citizens) and are still unable to get information on when they would leave Anchorage. Last i heard from them a few minutes ago the AirFrance team in Anchorage was unable to locate the air craft. HQ of AirFrance was also not being shared any information on when the flight might be able to depart again. They had received erroneous information.
Plus emergency medical care is free in Iceland!
But looking at the map, doesn't seem like it would be closer.
The aircraft was scheduled to depart around 10am Alaska time and arrive about 20:00 this evening in France after statutory crew rest.
There would’ve been no point operating a rescue flight as it wasn’t tech and would have taken at least 20 hours. I’m sure they considered cancelling a west coast - CDG and repositioning however there would still be a crew rest limitation.
AF has no representation in ANC. Their operations would need to coordinate with local staff and CBP which could take time. The crew would probably assist.
Frustrating for everyone and hopefully most people appreciate it was for the welfare of a sick passenger. Technically they could also bill them diversion costs although it wouldn’t reflect well.
Was this story re-posted/updated or something? 52 comments within a minute seems unlikely for an article that doesn't involve Delta earnings.
Crazy to believe ANC now have only 1 gate for 777.
They used to have 747s all over the airport.
Looking at time stamps would answer your question faster than typing and waiting for a reply.
Generative AI is growing fast because people are too lazy to do a simple fact check.
It was updated, it originally didn’t include the events after the diversion, i.e. the flight from Anchorage to Paris.
Many of the hotels would be closed until the tourist season's beginning which is May-September. Maybe not in Mid-April, but certainly in December-March. The same happens in many countries with small populations and strong climate variations: Example: In Iceland, outside Reykjavik and in the off-season, lodging is plentiful and actually quite good in... schools which make a pretty penny of it. But what goes for small families will not work with a 777-load.
Short of US citizenship, Permanent Residence or visa, you DO need an Esta to enter the US, it has been the case for the past 15 years or more. Granted, these are very special circumstances but the average civil servant in the USA is not programmed to show personal leniency or take initiatives. And common sense won't help. Without guidance from the executive level, too much risk of being fired.
WHY do you need it to board the plane? Because passengers without an Esta are promptly sent back AND the airline is fined... You may not have to take it out on arrival, but i's all in your electronic file when you land.
ANC, the worlds busiest airport for a period during Covid!
My son loves flight aware and checking all the 747s on the ground there.
It's not unthinkable that a flight between Paris and Tokyo would land in Anchorage.
During the Cold War, almost all the flights between Western Europe and East Asia stopped in Anchorage. Again, this was because Russian airspace was closed to Western carriers.
So older readers won't be shocked at all to hear this.
La premiere offering on leaving , fresh alaskan chinook salmon sashimi freshly caught hours before takeoff
Diversion to another airport at odd hour when everybody gone to bed and the airline offices at airport closed, except control tower
staff, airport police/immigration officers, fire service, met office,
navigation aids. the diverted airline has to pay airport landing fees, parking fees and take off, refuel the aircraft since diversion
involves consumption of fuel which was done for normal flying
time (EET) for original routing HND/CDG, ground handling charges for using aerobridge, manpower to check the disembarking passengers, transportation charges from ANC airport to Hotel and back to airport, hotel room charges for all
diverted passengers, cost for preparation of flight plan from ANC to CDG whether done by met office or any airline dispatch manager etc all these charges are to be borne by airline
and finally civil aviation dept should send departure message
to all addressees ORYKKAF ORYKFAF ORYOWAF ETC SITA ADDS
AND THEY SHOULD NOTIFY ALL ENROUTE CITIES CONTROL TOWERS
WHEN THEY PASS THRU OVERFLYING COUNTRIES
I experienced an ANC diversion flying UA from DEN to NRT about 12 years ago, when our plane had a mechanical issue halfway and couldn't safely complete the journey. We were stuck on the plane and then in the international terminal for several hours while they located CBP people to process everyone on the plane (even though we had all just departed the US), and we ended up staying in a crappy Ramada for maybe 5-6 hours before taking vans back to ANC at the crack of dawn. They handed out boarding passes for chartered AS flights to take everyone to SEA and SFO, and we were rebooked from there onto other UA flights to Asia. It was a clusterf--k for us, but I can only imagine how much worse it is for the people on this AF flight.
I am wondering why it did not divert to Vancouver. From the flight path, it looks like YVR was about the same distance (maybe even closer) and Air France actually serves YVR. Besides, YVR is a truly 24 hr airport and Vancouver is a larger city with better medical facilities compared to Anchorage.
Even the politics of which country has friendly relationship with which country and potential complications for passengers entering the country, favors diverting to Vancouver.
@UncleRonnie, I read George's comment not as being on the impact it has on other flyers (which is what how it appears you read it) but rather the risks to the person with the medical condition. If you have a serious condition that suddenly deteriorates while in the middle of a long haul flight, you're on an airplane at the best probably an hour from the ground, possibly several hours. Flight attendants are trained but aren't doctors, and even if there is an appropriate doctor onboard the medical resources are limited. Thus, the question is whether it is worth the risk to the person with the medical condition?
Funny enough I think landing at Anchorage at 2 am was actually ideal. I have flown in there a few times and at 1-2 am the place is absolutely bustling (at least when I was there). Alaska Air starts operating their West Coast bound flights at about that time so that their passengers can make connecting trans cons to the east coast at the regular 6-8am time slots from LAX, SFO, and SEA I think. That's he only explanation I have or why the Anchorage airport was basically packed when I landed at midnight and left at 230 am.
1. Someone cannot read a map
2. I would debate that Vancouver has better medical facilities than Anchorage
3. The relationship between France and the US or Canada are the same. Stop trying to make something out of nothing.
2 famous flights that also routinely do a similar"round the world" routing are the SQ flights to and from JFK and EWR, which take the Pacific route to New York and return to Singapore via the Atlantic
Something to add to the complexity of this situation is that the satellite communication as well the HF and for sure the VHF at those latitude are usually not working (satellite communication work if using the Iridium). This means no possibility to call a medical service that may help.
1. Someone cannot read a map --> I am not sure what you are trying to convey here.
2. I would debate that Vancouver has better medical facilities than Anchorage. --> You can debate anything. That does not make it more or less correct. Do a simple search, or research it anyway you want, and see what you find. It is funny that you debate it!
3. The relationship between France and the US or Canada are the same. Stop trying to make something out of nothing. --> I am not saying any of these countries need to be avoided by Air France. But if you think immigration and bilateral international relationship are on the same course in Canada and US, then I guess all I can say is you are entitled to having your belief!
For the type of medical emergency that occurred on the flight, Anchorage was appropriate and the largest hospital here is well equipped to provide the care that was needed
Must have been a death. Airlines don't do that sort of thing otherwise. When you sitting 9 abreast in economy there's no way to move the body discreetly.
They needed to get the deceased off the plane ASAP. If it was a full
flight those in the immediate area would start to smell the excriment
as the muscles of the deceased relaxed.
It would have made no difference in this particular case, but I suggest that for anyone flying TATL or TPAC at all frequently and who has a suitable passport, maintain ESTA equivalents for any of USA/Canada/UK/Schengen to which your passport/residence does not give you access.
I got a Canadian ETA last month purely in case of IRROPS.
According to the Transport Canada occurrence report (it was in airspace controlled by Canada at the time of the diversion), they originally requested to divert to Fairbanks (FAI), about 300 miles closer than Anchorage, but later must have changed diversion point to ANC, no doubt to make it easier to accommodate the passengers due to the crew timing out.
Until the Soviets opened the trans-Siberian route to European and Japanese carriers in the 1970s, the shortest route between Japan and Europe was with a fuel stop in Anchorage and quite a few flights of multiple airlines made regular stops in ANC. With the opening of the route across Siberia and longer range aircraft, the ANC stop eventually ended for passenger flights between Asia and Europe. ANC still a very common fuel stop for freighters with many flights stopping there every day between other points in North America and Japan/China etc.