An American Airlines flight bound for Ecuador was forced to return to Miami on Saturday evening after crew members declared an in-flight emergency due to a disruptive passenger.
Flight AA2259, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, departed Miami International Airport at 8.12pm local time, 47 minutes behind schedule, heading for Quito, Ecuador. The aircraft issued a squawk 7700 alert—the universal signal for a general emergency—as it flew over Cuba.
Tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the plane climbed to 31,000 feet before turning back over the Cuban coast. It landed safely at Miami International at approximately 10pm, just one hour and 40 minutes after departure.
American Airlines confirmed the incident, stating: 'On Jan. 31, American Airlines flight 2259 with service from Miami to Quito returned to Miami and was met by law enforcement upon arrival due to a disruptive customer.' The airline thanked its crew and passengers for their assistance.
Passengers were rebooked on a replacement flight to Quito on Sunday, landing at 2.50pm local time.
