The unexpected change in plans left passengers stunned
An Alaska Airlines flight was recently diverted from its scheduled destination due to a shocking admission from the pilot. As Flight 3491, operated by Skywest, approached Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) in Wyoming, the pilot revealed over the intercom that he was not certified to land at that specific 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 public address system. The pilot announced: ”Hey, I’m sorry folks but due to me not having the proper qualification to land in Jackson Hole, we need to divert to Salt Lake City, Utah. We’ll keep you posted on the next steps.”
His announcement prompted a diversion to Salt Lake City, where the Embraer ERJ 175 twin jet safely landed, as confirmed by FlightAware.
After diverting to Salt Lake City, the plane remained grounded for approximately an hour and a half, awaiting the arrival of a new pilot. Once the replacement pilot took the controls, the aircraft finally departed for Jackson Hole, but the journey was far from smooth.
Passengers described the landing as exceptionally turbulent, one of the bumpiest they had ever endured. The flight ultimately arrived at its intended destination three hours behind schedule.
SkyWest, a regional airline, told the Cowboy State Daily in a statement that the flight was indeed diverted and cited a lack of “correct paperwork” as the reason.
“[Flight 3491] landed for a short time in Salt Lake City to correct a paperwork error related to the flight crew,” the airline said in the statement. “The flight continued to Jackson Hole after a delay while a new pilot was secured to operate the flight. All pilots involved were qualified to fly and land the aircraft; the flight diverted from Jackson Hole due to an internal administrative error and out of an abundance of caution.”