EL PASO, Texas (KESQ) – Travelers on board a flight to Palm Springs from Dallas on Wednesday had their trip diverted as the pilot made a landing in El Paso, Texas.
A passenger of American Airlines flight 2709 sent video to News Channel 3, showing everyone from the flight sitting at the gate waiting for a replacement flight to arrive, saying the crew brought them water and snacks from the plane because everything in the airport is closed.
The passenger says the pilot told everyone that a cracked window on the flight deck spiderwebbed, making it unsafe to fly.
The passenger added that the replacement flight was on its way, with a planned takeoff by midnight, and most of the other passengers are taking the delay well.
News Channel 3 reached out to American Airlines and received the following statement:
“American Airlines flight 2709, with service from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Palm Springs (PSP) diverted to El Paso (ELP) due to a mechanical issue. The aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power. Our team is working to get customers on their way this evening. We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans and we apologize for the inconvenience.”
Right now, Palm Springs International lists the arrival as delayed until 12:53 a.m. Thursday.