The unexpected change of plan left passengers stunned
An Alaska Airlines flight was recently diverted from its intended destination due to a shocking admission by the pilot. As Flight 3491, operated by Skywest, was approaching Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) in Wyoming, the pilot announced over the intercom that he was not authorized to land at that particular airport. Fox business reported.
According to a passenger’s account on Reddit, the flight attendants were preparing for landing when the pilot made an unexpected announcement over the PA system. The pilot announced: “Hey, I’m sorry guys, but since I don’t have the required qualifications to land in Jackson Hole, we’ll have to divert to Salt Lake City, Utah. We’ll keep you updated on next steps.”
His announcement prompted a diversion to Salt Lake City, where the Embraer ERJ 175 twin-engine jet landed safely, FlightAware confirmed.
After diverting to Salt Lake City, the plane remained on the ground for about an hour and a half waiting for a new pilot to arrive. After the replacement pilot took over the controls, the plane finally took off for Jackson Hole, but the trip was anything but smooth.
Passengers described the landing as exceptionally turbulent and one of the bumpiest they had ever experienced. The flight eventually reached its scheduled destination three hours late.
Regional airline SkyWest told Cowboy State Daily that the flight was indeed diverted, citing a lack of “correct documentation” as the reason.
“(Flight 3491) briefly landed in Salt Lake City to correct a paperwork error regarding the flight crew,” the airline’s statement said. “The flight continued to Jackson Hole after a delay while a new pilot was sought for the flight. All pilots involved were qualified to fly and land the aircraft; the flight was diverted from Jackson Hole due to an internal administrative error and out of an abundance of caution.”
