Dublin, Ireland: An American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operating Flight AA719 from Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) diverted to Dublin Airport (DUB) on July 25, 2026, after several flight attendants reportedly became dizzy and unwell during the transatlantic flight.
The aircraft, registered N840AN, landed safely in Dublin after the pilots reported a medical emergency to air traffic control. American Airlines later confirmed that there was a reported odor onboard, although the precise source of the odor and the reason for the crew members’ symptoms have not been publicly established.
Flight AA719 departed Rome Fiumicino at approximately 12:40 p.m. local time, with other reports placing the departure just before 1 p.m. The Boeing 787-9, a 2019-delivered aircraft, was scheduled to make the roughly eight-and-a-half-hour journey to Philadelphia. According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft climbed to approximately 38,000 to 39,000 feet and continued across France before heading over the North Atlantic.
About four hours into the flight, the pilots turned the aircraft toward Ireland after reporting a medical issue onboard. Air traffic control was informed that several flight attendants were feeling sick and that medical assistance would be required on arrival. Dublin was selected as the diversion airport, with the aircraft subsequently landing safely on Runway 28L approximately six hours after leaving Rome. Medical responders were reportedly standing by when the aircraft arrived.
Reportedly, six of the nine flight attendants onboard became ill during the flight, although American Airlines has not yet confirmed the report.
The available reports also indicate that the affected flight attendants experienced symptoms including dizziness and feeling unwell. There is no indication in the reports reviewed that the crew members were incapacitated. Nevertheless, with a substantial portion of the cabin crew reportedly affected at the same time, the pilots elected to divert rather than continue the flight across the Atlantic.
After the aircraft landed in Dublin, the passengers did not immediately continue to Philadelphia. Reports said American Airlines did not have a replacement cabin crew available to operate the onward journey, while the reason for the reported illness remained unclear. The original flight was therefore unable to continue as planned, and the onward service was cancelled.
The aircraft remained in Dublin, while reports indicated that passengers were to be accommodated and rebooked for onward travel. A separate recovery flight, identified as AA9601, subsequently appeared in the schedule for the following Monday, although reports also indicated that its departure was later delayed.
American Airlines subsequently provided a statement confirming the diversion but did not publicly confirm that six flight attendants had fallen ill. The airline said: “On July 25, American Airlines flight 719, from Rome (FCO) to Philadelphia (PHL), diverted to Dublin (DUB) due to a reported odor onboard. We appreciate the understanding of our customers and thank our team members for their professionalism.”
The statement establishes the reported odor as the reason for the diversion but does not identify the source of the odor or confirm whether it was directly responsible for the flight attendants’ symptoms. No official explanation has so far been released publicly detailing what caused the odor or why multiple members of the cabin crew reportedly became unwell at approximately the same time.
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