Philippine Airlines Los Angeles Flight with 777 Makes Emergency Landing in Tokyo

TOKYO- Philippine Airlines (PR) Flight PR102 from Manila (MNL) to Los Angeles (LAX) made an emergency landing at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) after smoke was detected in the cabin of the Boeing 777 aircraft.

All 355 passengers and crew aboard the diverted flight remained safe following the incident that occurred on April 9, 2025, with Philippine Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon confirming the aircraft landed safely in Japan.

Photo: Pexels

Philippine Airlines Emergency Landing in Tokyo

The Boeing 777 aircraft operating Philippine Airlines Flight PR102 encountered an unexpected emergency when smoke began emerging in the cabin during its scheduled journey from Manila to Los Angeles.

According to official statements, the flight crew made the immediate decision to divert to the nearest suitable airport, which was Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, prioritizing passenger safety.

Upon landing at Haneda Airport, passengers were initially required to remain onboard for several hours while authorities coordinated a safe disembarkation process. During this period, aircraft doors were opened to ventilate the cabin and disperse the remaining smoke.

According to Philippine Airlines, the source of the smoke was traced to one of the aircraft’s two air conditioning units.

Photo:- Aero Icarus | Flickr

Government Response

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon took swift action following the incident, directly contacting Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo to request accommodation arrangements for the affected passengers.

This diplomatic coordination ensured that stranded travelers received necessary support while awaiting further travel arrangements.

“We are in full coordination with Philippine government authorities through the office of the DOTR Secretary and local airport authorities in Haneda,” Philippine Airlines stated in their official communication regarding the incident.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has been directed to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the emergency landing. Secretary Dizon emphasized that airlines bear direct responsibility for passenger safety and that the investigation would determine the exact cause of the smoke in the cabin.

Photo: Clément Alloing

Similar Incident

A Delta Air Lines (DL) flight bound for Sydney made an emergency return to Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night after smoke was detected in the aircraft’s rear galley.

Flight DL43, operated by an Airbus A350-900 with registration N514DN, departed from Runway 25R at 9:04 p.m. carrying 162 passengers and 15 crew members. The pilots halted their ascent at 10,000 feet when the cabin crew reported smoke in the rear galley area.

After assessing the situation, the flight crew made the decision to return to Los Angeles. The aircraft turned eastward, crossed the coastline near Long Beach, and executed a left-hand approach back to LAX. The plane landed safely on Runway 25R at 9:32 p.m., just 28 minutes after its initial departure.

Upon landing, crew members confirmed the smoke was no longer present, and no cockpit warnings indicated an ongoing fire. As a precautionary measure, the crew requested airport fire services to escort the aircraft to the gate and arranged for medical personnel to be available in case any passengers or crew experienced smoke inhalation.

Delta subsequently canceled the Sydney-bound flight, and all passengers were accommodated on alternative flights. A Delta spokesperson issued a statement emphasizing the airline’s commitment to safety.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people. That’s why the flight crew followed established procedures to return to Los Angeles after smoke was detected in the galley. We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels,” the spokesperson said.

The Federal Aviation Administration has initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the smoke. The aircraft involved in the incident was later repositioned to Atlanta-Hartsfield on February 23 as flight DL395 and returned to Los Angeles as flight DL93 on February 24.

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