Wednesday, December 11, 2024
On December 10, 2024, Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) flight LX65, en route from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Zurich Airport (ZRH), was unexpectedly diverted to Dublin Airport (DUB) due to a technical issue. The diversion came just hours before the flight was scheduled to land in Zurich, leaving passengers stranded in Dublin as the airline worked to resolve the situation.
The flight had initially taken off from Miami at 1:39 AM UTC, after a brief two-hour layover. For the first seven hours of the journey, everything proceeded smoothly as the plane made its way across the Atlantic. However, shortly before reaching Zurich, the crew reported a technical malfunction. Concerned for the safety of everyone on board, the pilots made the decision to contact Dublin Air Traffic Control (ATC) for emergency landing clearance. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER (registration HB-JNF), landed safely in Dublin at 9:25 AM UTC, with no injuries to passengers or crew.
In the aftermath of the diversion, the Boeing 777 was grounded in Dublin while Swiss technical teams inspected the aircraft. The plane, which is just 8.4 years old, is powered by GE90 engines and typically operates on long-haul flights. While the exact nature of the issue has not been disclosed, SWISS assured passengers that safety remained the top priority and that the decision to divert was made out of caution.
The airline made arrangements to get passengers back on their way as quickly as possible. Those affected were rebooked on an afternoon flight from Dublin to Zurich, and the airline offered compensation for the inconvenience caused by the delay.
This Miami-Zurich route is one of SWISS’s busiest, operating twice daily with both Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s. In addition, SWISS works with its Star Alliance partner, United Airlines (UA), to provide more options for travelers on this popular transatlantic route.
SWISS has since expressed gratitude to the passengers for their patience and understanding during the disruption. The airline emphasized that they were doing everything possible to ensure that all affected customers were taken care of and would reach their final destination as soon as possible.
