Tokyo-bound flight diverted back to LAX after 'unauthorized person' discovered on plane
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A flight bound for Tokyo's Narita Airport Tuesday made a U-turn back to Los Angeles International Airport after an "unauthorized person" was discovered aboard in an apparent mix-up.
According to LAX Airport Police, officers had a unit and supervisors on scene when the plane, flight ANA 175, arrived back in Los Angeles.
Police said the return of the Tokyo-bound flight was due to a "mix up and was straightened up."
The airline, All Nippon Airways, issued an apology early Wednesday for the inconvenience. They said they were investigating how the passenger boarded the wrong flight.
The statement read: During the flight, the cabin crew became aware that one of the passengers boarded the incorrect flight and notified the pilot. As part of the airline's security procedure, the pilot in command decided to return to the originating airport, where the passenger was disembarked. ANA is researching the situation currently to determine how the passenger boarded the flight. ANA would like to express its apologies to the passengers for the inconvenience. We take great pride providing exemplary customer service, and on this flight we failed to do so.
The flight was re-boarded overnight and was on its way to Tokyo Wednesday morning.
Model Chrissy Teigen, who was aboard the flight with her husband John Legend, tweeted that she had been on the plane for four hours when it turned around midair.
"A flying first for me: 4 hours into an 11 hour flight and we are turning around because we have a passenger who isn't supposed to be on this plane. Why...why do we all gotta go back, I do not know," Teigen said in a tweet.
Teigen went on to tweet that she was unsure of exactly what had taken place on the flight that caused the plane to turn around. "This person must be mortified though," Teigen tweeted.
According to Teigen, passengers were told that the person in question had a ticket on an entirely different airline.
Teigen said passengers were held on the plane for at least 20 minutes after it landed for police to conduct interviews with passengers.
Meanwhile, another passenger snapped a photo with Teigen and Legend, who seemed to be taking it all in stride.
The plane took off from LAX at 11:36 a.m. Tuesday and landed back at LAX at 7:33 p.m. The flight's total duration was recorded at seven hours and 56 minutes.
