Understanding Flight Diversions: Causes, Statistics, and Passenger Rights

Written By Joanna Teljeur

Last Updated: August 14, 2024

Your flight is going smoothly when all of a sudden the captain’s voice comes in over the speaker system: Folks, this is your captain and it looks like we’re going to have to make a diversion.

Now, you’re wondering where you’ll land and how and when you’ll get to your final destination! Whether you’ve experienced this or not, flight diversions are an unpleasant surprise that can cause a lot of extra stress. So, we’re going to explain what flight diversions mean, what causes them, what you can expect to get in airline compensation, and the steps you should take if this ever happens to you.

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What It Means When Your Plane is Diverted

A flight diversion happens when your plane has to land somewhere other than the intended destination airport. So, if you were supposed to fly from Atlanta to Berlin, your flight might suddenly be diverted and forced to land in Paris. 

This happens more often than most people realize. The U.S. Department of Transportation data shows that 9,722 US airline flights were diverted in 2023. Looking at it another way, it means that during peak travel times with roughly 45,000 flights in a day, there could be about 126 diversions.

While many different situations could lead to a diversion, most seem to be caused by weather-related events. So, busy airports located in areas where weather can be erratic like the Northeastern and Midwest states, can see this happen more often.

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What Causes a Diversions?

As we said, a flight can be diverted for any number of reasons but the most usual culprits are weather, mechanical issues, medical emergencies, and passenger disruptions.

Weather

In July 2024, a hailstorm at Denver International Airport caused flight diversions to other airports. This kind of dangerous weather makes it unsafe for planes to try to land. Other kinds of severe weather like heavy snow, dense fog, or high winds and thunderstorms can also lead to diversions. This was seen in August 2024 when flights in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., were diverted because of heavy thunderstorms.

Mechanical Issues

For most passengers, mechanical issues are the most frightening cause of flight diversions. In July 2024, Delta Airlines had two flights diverted because of mechanical problems. 

While the cause of one of these was due to an unspecified technical issue, Flight 927 traveling from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to Atlanta, GA had to be diverted to St. Louis because of a pressurization issue.

Other common mechanical issues that lead to diversions include:

• Engine malfunctions, 
• Hydraulic system failures, 
• Electrical problems, 
• Issues with the fuel system, navigation, or pressurization system

Medical Emergencies

Sometimes, passengers, or even crew members, have a sudden health issue that necessitates an immediate landing. An example of this kind of diversion happened in July 2024 when a United Airlines flight from Houston to Boston had to be diverted to Dulles International Airport because a passenger experienced a ‘medical issue’ that led to other passengers and crew becoming ill as well.

Unruly Passengers

Thanks to our smartphones, the general public has been able to see what transpires when passengers are belligerent on a flight. When the behavior becomes unmanageable, the plane will have to be diverted in order to contain the unruly passenger.

This seems to be happening more and more often. On July 18, 2024, an American Airlines flight to Dallas had to be diverted to Salt Lake City because a passenger refused to stay in his seat, propositioned the flight attendants, vaped, tried to open the aircraft’s exterior door, and eventually locked himself in the restroom. When the plane landed, he was arrested, but the passengers on board had to deal with extended delays as a result.

How a Diversion Works

Understandably, it’s difficult to get your head around exactly what happens after the pilot announces that the plane will have to land somewhere besides your destination. In most cases, after the decision and announcement has been made, the pilot will coordinate everything with air traffic control. 

Then, the crew will prepare the cabin for landing and give passengers any information to help them understand what’s happening. Once you land, you’ll be told whether you can stay on the aircraft or if you need to de-plane and rebook an alternate flight. If the diversion was caused by mechanical problems, you might have to exit the aircraft, but if it was caused by an unruly passenger or severe weather, then you might be asked to stay on board until the situation is sorted, then the flight will resume. 

If you have to disembark, you’ll be given updates and options for rebooking your flight to your final destination. Sometimes, you might simply have to wait at the gate until you’re asked to reboard the plane and your flight continues as planned.

Compensation for Flight Diversions

Remember, the airline has a responsibility to get you to your destination as quickly and smoothly as possible. This means that they must provide you with a rebooked flight and cover the cost of any additional care and assistance you need, and this can include cash compensation.

As with all forms of airline compensation, your eligibility hinges on whether or not the airline caused or at least could have prevented the diversion. If it happened because of something within their control, then you can get compensated. In other words, if the plane was diverted because of mechanical issues for example, then you could get money from the airline because technically, mechanical issues are something they should have prevented.

Weather-related issues or problems with ill passengers probably won’t get you any compensation because the airline isn’t usually able to control these things. On the other hand, medical emergencies and unruly passenger situations might be eligible for compensatio, because in theory, a person showing signs of physical distress before boarding should be denied from flying. 

If a passenger displays aggressive or difficult behavior at the gate, they should also be denied boarding, but if they do get on the plane and cause a diversion later, the airline might have to compensate passengers for the disruption. Bottom line, it depends on the specifics of the situation.

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U.S Department of Transportation Rules

In 2024, the DOT established new rules for airlines in the United States to issue full cash refunds for flights that are significantly changed or canceled if the passenger doesn't agree to any alternate forms of transport or travel credits. This means that if you have a diversion that results in a delay of 3 hours or more on a domestic flight or 6+ hours on an international flight, you’re owed a refund.

Beyond this, airlines in the US have policies for rebooking passengers and offering meals, accommodation and even transport to the hotel and back for those passengers that have to wait overnight for their rebooking.

Diverted Flights in Europe and the UK

Flights in Europe are covered by EU261 passenger regulations which are nearly identical to the UK’s regulation UK261. Both state that if a flight is diverted, affected passengers are owed compensation if the disruption causes them to be delayed by a minimum of 3 hours past their original arrival time. The amount you get is determined by the hours delayed and the flight distance, so  you could get as much as €600 depending on your flight specifics. 

As mentioned, if the diversion was caused by severe weather or other extraordinary circumstances, you won’t be eligible for compensation but you’re still entitled to a flight rebooking and care and assistance at the airport while you wait.

Steps to Take If Your Flight is Diverted

If you hear an announcement that your flight is diverting the last thing you want to be told is to stay calm. Easier said than done, right? But seriously, try to at least listen to the announcements from the flight crew so you know what to do and expect. After that, here’s what we recommend:

1. Collect as much info as possible including what caused the diversion, what the plan will be, where you’re landing, and how long it could take to resolve the situation.
2. Work with the airline staff and customer service so you can get an alternate flight if need be.You can do this by phone, on social media, or on the airline’s app.
3. Read up on your rights and entitlements. These can be very different depending on where you’re traveling. 
4. Ask for care and assistance if it isn’t offered.
5. Stay abreast of any changes by checking the status of your flight or staying up to date with the newest information.
6. If you end up paying for anything like food or hotel accommodation, keep track of your receipts so you can submit them to the airline for reimbursement.
7. Consider other means of transportation if you face long delays. If you decide to take a train or rent a car instead of your flight, you will get a refund for your ticket. If you choose this option, the refund must be issued to the same card you used for the payment.

How to Get Compensated for a Diverted Flight

Again, collect as much relevant documentation as possible like boarding passes, receipts, documents or other information from the airline. If you need to, take screenshots or write down the details of any phone or face-to-face communication you might have had.

The next step is contacting your airline to submit a compensation claim. You can do this on the airline’s website. Some might have a webform for you to complete while others may require you to write an official letter and submit it along with any supporting documents. You can also submit a claim if you feel you were owed a refund. Remember that in some areas like the EU, you could get a refund and compensation.

Need help with the airline compensation process? If you feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone. In fact, more than 330,000 felt the exact same way you do which is why they turned to AirAdvisor to handle the claims process for them. We make it easy, and we only get paid if we win your case.

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