The Swiss aircraft had to divert to Detroit in the end.
Flightradar / Keystone / Bildmontage blue News
Swiss flight LX8 was actually scheduled to land in Chicago on Sunday. But shortly before reaching its destination, the plane had to turn back: Due to heavy thunderstorms, the plane diverted to Detroit – it was even struck by lightning beforehand.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
Swiss flight LX8 from Chicago to Zurich was diverted to Detroit on Sunday due to heavy thunderstorms.The aircraft was also struck by lightning during the flight, Swiss confirms.Passengers were accommodated overnight and rebooked on replacement flights the next day.
Shortly before the planned landing in Chicago, the passengers were already waiting for the plane to descend. Instead, the plane made several circles over the region.
“We were circling over Chicago and suddenly the cockpit told us that we had to take evasive action,” a passenger told blue News. The crew explained that landing was not possible at the moment due to the weather conditions. “Then suddenly lightning struck the plane,” the reader continues.
A short time later, the Airbus A330 headed for Detroit, around 380 kilometers northeast of Chicago.
Heavy thunderstorms paralyze flight operations
As Swiss confirmed at the request of blue News, the detour was a direct result of the heavy thunderstorms over Chicago. Flight operations at the airport had to be temporarily restricted.
Flight LX8 was already in the vicinity of the airport at the time and initially waited in a holding pattern for a possible landing. “However, when the situation did not improve, the crew decided to use the alternative airport,” writes Swiss.
In addition, the aircraft was struck by lightning during the flight, Swiss confirms.
However, Swiss assures passengers that there is no need to worry at this time. Such events occur occasionally in aviation and are considered harmless. “Aircraft act like a Faraday cage – the electrical energy is dissipated via the outer skin. Passengers and crew remain protected. Electronic systems in the cockpit are redundantly protected,” says the airline.
Aircraft is now being checked
Nevertheless, every aircraft is thoroughly inspected after a lightning strike for safety reasons. The affected aircraft is currently being checked by technicians, explains Swiss. The planned return flight LX9 from Chicago to Zurich could therefore not take place.
The temporary grounding of the Airbus A330 has no further impact on the flight schedule.
For passengers, the detour meant a delay to their journey. Swiss explained that the affected passengers were accommodated in hotels and rebooked on replacement flights the next day so that they could continue their journey.