Passengers aboard Air Canada Flight AC1 experienced an exhausting detour Tuesday after their non-stop service from Toronto to Tokyo was forced to divert to Vancouver.
VANCOUVER, BC – The flight AC1, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER (registration C-FIVS), departed Toronto Pearson International Airport at 1:05 PM. After climbing to a cruising altitude of 32,000 feet then 34,000 feet and traversing Northern Canada, the aircraft was positioned over the Alaska-Yukon border when the crew declared a diversion.
The Mid-Air Turnaround
The aircraft performed a sharp left turn over the Alaskan wilderness due to a possible medical emergency on board. The decision was made to route the aircraft to Vancouver International Airport (YVR), which is a maintenance base, to ensure the passenger received necessary care.
The “flight to nowhere” resulted in an grueling itinerary for those on board:
Total Initial Flight Time: Approximately 9 hours and 57 minutes.Landing at YVR: 8:02 PM local time.Touchdown Runway: 08L.
Credit: David WheelerResuming the Journey
Upon landing in Vancouver, passengers deplaned while the medical situation was addressed. To minimize further delays, Air Canada swapped the original aircraft for another Boeing 777-300ER (registration C-FKAU).
Flight DetailInformationOriginal AircraftBoeing 777-300ER (C-FIVS)Replacement AircraftBoeing 777-300ER (C-FKAU)Revised Arrival1:10 AM (Thursday) at Tokyo Haneda (HND)Total DelayApproximately 10+ hours
The flight resumed its journey to Tokyo approximately three hours later. As of Wednesday morning, the replacement aircraft is currently cruising over the Bering Sea.