American Airlines Flight Too Big to Land, Passengers Take a Bus
Imagine flying across the Atlantic, only to finish your journey… by bus. That’s what happened to 231 passengers aboard an American Airlines flight after their plane was too big to land at Naples International Airport.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, en route from Philadelphia to Naples, was about halfway down Italy’s western coast when it suddenly turned around. Flight data showed the aircraft diverting over the Tyrrhenian Sea and heading back north—ultimately landing in Rome Fiumicino Airport, 140 miles away from the intended destination.
The Unexpected Detour
Scheduled to land in Naples at 10 a.m. local time, Flight 780 had departed the U.S. the night before. But as it approached the southern Italian city, “operational limitations” forced a last-minute change in course.
While American Airlines didn’t go into technical details, flight logs revealed the airline typically flies a shorter Boeing 787-8 to Naples. The 787-9 used on this occasion is about 20 feet longer, making landing at the smaller airport more difficult under certain conditions.
Bus Ride to Naples Adds 3 Hours to Journey
After touching down in Rome, the passengers were put on buses for a three-hour drive to Naples. It wasn’t the smoothest end to a transatlantic journey, but the airline did issue an apology.
“We apologize to them for this disruption to their journey,” said American Airlines in a statement to CBS News.
Social Media Picks Up the Story
The incident was first brought to light by aviation account @xjonnyc on X (formerly Twitter), quickly gaining attention among frequent fliers and aviation enthusiasts.
A Sizeable Lesson in International Flight Planning
This unusual incident serves as a reminder of how even small variations in aircraft type can have big implications—especially at airports with limited infrastructure.
For American Airlines, it was a logistical challenge. For passengers, it was an unexpected story to tell: a flight that ended not with a touchdown in Naples, but with a bus ride across the Italian countryside.
