An Air France transatlantic flight bound for Chicago O’Hare (ORD) was forced to return to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) after nearly seven hours of flying.
Flight AF136, operated by an Airbus A350-900, reversed course mid-flight due to operational reasons, reportedly after being denied landing clearance, according to AIRLIVE, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
According to FlightRadar24 data, Air France flight AF136 departed Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at 12:49 local time on Saturday, June 28, 2025, bound for Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
Operated by an Airbus A350-900 (registration F-HUVR), the flight took off from runway 26R and reached a cruising altitude of 38,000 feet while following a typical northerly transatlantic route via the UK.
At approximately 16:30 CEST, while flying over the mid-Atlantic between Iceland and Greenland, the flight crew made the decision to return to France.
Although the aircraft had already completed nearly half of the journey, operational constraints prompted the airline to redirect the flight back to its point of origin.
According to a passenger who contacted the AIRLIVE newsdesk, the reroute was due to the flight not receiving landing authorization at Chicago O’Hare. Air France later confirmed the return was made for “operational reasons,” without providing further specifics.
Flight AF136 landed safely on runway 27R at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) six hours and 37 minutes after departure. Air France arranged overnight accommodations for the affected passengers and rebooked them on a replacement flight.
The substitute service, flight AF4080, departed Paris (CDG) for Chicago (ORD) on Sunday, June 29, at 14:20 local time. Passengers were informed and assisted at the airport in coordination with the airline’s ground staff.