Aeromexico Boeing 787 Diverts to Mexico City After Pilot Falls Sick
An Aeromexico Boeing 787-9, operating flight AM34 from Mexico City to Madrid, Spain, was forced to divert back to Mexico City after the first officer fell ill while the aircraft was over Virginia. The diversion caused a significant delay, with the flight eventually reaching Madrid almost a day later.
Diverting Back to Mexico City
Flight AM34, originating at Mexico City International Airport (MEX), continues to Monterrey International Airport (MTY) before departing for Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD). On June 4, the aircraft, registered as XA-ADL, diverted back to MEX after departing MTY for MAD. Flightradar24 data showed that the Boeing 787-9 began its turn back to Mexico City just north of Lynchburg, Virginia, descending from its cruising altitude of 37,000 feet to 20,000 feet for the return journey.
The Aviation Herald reported that the first officer fell sick, prompting the diversion. The aircraft landed safely at MEX at 17:33 local time. There were no pressurization issues reported, as the aircraft maintained cabin pressurization above the standard altitude threshold of 10,000 feet.
Continuing to Madrid, Spain
After addressing the medical situation, the Aeromexico Boeing 787-9 departed again for Madrid under the flight code AMX034R. The aircraft left Mexico City at 20:18 local time and landed at Madrid Barajas Airport at 13:52 local time on June 5. The aircraft then returned to Mexico City on flight AM2, albeit with a delay, arriving at 19:30 instead of the scheduled 14:25.
Aeromexico’s Operations to Spain
Aeromexico schedules 555 weekly flights to various international destinations, including the US and Spain, with 95,046 departing weekly seats from Mexico. Madrid is the only Spanish destination served by Aeromexico, with flights departing from Guadalajara (GDL), Mexico City (MEX), and Monterrey (MTY). The airline schedules 34 weekly flights to Madrid, highlighting the importance of this route.
In Conclusion
The incident involving the Aeromexico Boeing 787-9 underscores the importance of safety and swift decision-making in aviation. Despite the delay, the airline managed to handle the situation efficiently, ensuring the safety and comfort of all passengers on board.
