An Air France Airbus A350-900 operating from Papeete, French Polynesia to Los Angeles made the precautionary return when crew reported the smell of smoke on board on 5 August 2024.
Air France flight AF29, an Airbus A350-900 bound for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), reported the issue whilst outbound in the cruise over the Pacific Ocean.
Air France AF29 Papeete-Los Angeles
Crew reported the smell of smoke from a trolley on board during cruising flight. As a result, flight crew made the decision to initiate a precautionary return to Faaʻa International Airport (PPT) as a safety measure.
A direct return track to the origin airport was negotiated, where the aircraft subsequently landed without further incident approximately 4.5 hours after its initial departure.
The cause of the smoke odour has not been disclosed. However, the scheduled flight to Los Angeles (LAX) was subsequently cancelled.
Flight Details
Flight data shows that Air France flight AF29 made a delayed departure out of Papeete, at 0838 local time. The scheduled departure time for the service was listed as 0740 local.
The flight then climbed to cruising level FL390 (39,000 feet) for the transpacific service to Los Angeles. The diversion was subsequently made from cruising altitude. This took place at an approximate distance of 600 nautical miles to the north of the origin airport.
The aircraft conducting the Air France AF29 service to Los Angeles was an Airbus A350-900, registered F-HUVB. This is a 0.9 year old wide-body aircraft belonging to the French national carrier Air France. It has been an operational service with the airline since its initial delivery in September 2023.
Faaʻa International Airport (PPT) is the primary aviation gateway to French Polynesia, situated on the island of Tahiti.
PPT is located approximately 5 kilometers southwest of Papeete, the territory’s capital. The airport serves as a crucial hub for both domestic and international air travel.
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