An Alaska Airlines flight bound for Phoenix had to make a U-turn back to Portland International Airport after fumes were detected in the cabin. According to a report from OPB, the incident occurred on a Wednesday, with passengers and crew members noticing the unusual smell mid-flight, leading the pilots to declare an emergency and head back to Oregon.
The aircraft, identified as Flight 646, landed safely at the airport, where seven individuals, a mix of passengers and crew, sought medical checks. Melanni Rosales, a Port of Portland spokesperson, told OPB, "No one was taken to the hospital," thus no serious injuries were reported. The 737-800 Boeing aircraft was at 35,000 feet altitude when it reversed course southwest of Burns, Oregon, before landing in Portland at 6:33 p.m.
Following a protocol that ensures the safety of all on board, the passengers were relocated onto a different aircraft to continue their journey to Phoenix. "The aircraft in question is being inspected by our maintenance team. We apologize to our guests for the inconvenience," Alaska Airlines said in an email. This was further confirmed by a report from KATU-TV.
Investigations by port firefighters alongside Portland Fire & Rescue teams were unable to pinpoint the source of the smell, as per Melanni Rosales in an interview given to ABC News. Despite the incident, the airline maintained its commitment to passenger safety and protocol adherence during such anomalies. An official report on the cause of the fumes has yet to be disclosed.
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