Hawaiian Airlines flight returns to Sea-Tac after fumes reported in cabin
Jan 1, 2025, 10:45 AM | Updated: 1:29 pm
A Hawaiian Airlines plane taxis for position. (File photo: Lucy Pemoni, AP)
(File photo: Lucy Pemoni, AP)
A Hawaiian Airlines flight bound for Honolulu from Seattle made an emergency return shortly after takeoff on Monday due to reported fumes in the cockpit, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and originally reported by The Seattle Times.
Hawaiian Airlines Flight 21 safely landed back at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) around 1 p.m., the FAA reported. The agency is currently investigating the incident.
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Hawaiian Airlines originally reported that the fumes were visible smoke.
“The captain declared an emergency to obtain priority handling, and the Airbus A330 landed at SEA without incident,” Marissa Villegas, a spokesperson for Hawaiian Airlines, said in an emailed statement to The Seattle Times. “As a precaution, medical and fire personnel met the aircraft at the gate, and all 273 passengers and 10 crew members deplaned safely.”
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Flight 21 successfully departed for Honolulu on Tuesday morning with a new aircraft. Passengers were provided with hotel accommodations, meals, compensation, and earlier available flights.
“Safety is our priority, and we sincerely apologize for this event,” Villegas added.
Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X and email him here.
