BARCELONA- An American Airlines (AA) Boeing 787-8 operated flight AAL41 from Barcelona (BCN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) faced two mid-operation disruptions on July 3, 2025.
The aircraft, identified as Boeing 787-8 having registration N875BD, returned to Barcelona twice on the same day, causing significant operational and passenger disruption.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – American Airlines, N808AN, Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87549777American Flight Returns to Barcelona Twice
American Airlines flight AAL41, scheduled to depart from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), encountered unusual operational circumstances.
The Boeing 787-8, registered N875BD, was diverted back to BCN on two separate occasions during its July 3 service.
The first attempt to depart took place at 10:45 local time. However, after takeoff, the aircraft returned and landed back at Barcelona at 10:52, prompting an immediate response from emergency services, including fire and paramedics, who met the aircraft on the apron.
Photo: FlightRadar24After a brief holding period, another departure was planned and estimated for 10:52, but this second attempt also failed. A subsequent takeoff at 14:00 again resulted in a diversion, with the aircraft returning and landing back in Barcelona by 15:55.
Photo: FlightRadar24An Eyewitnesses (passenger) onboard Aer Lingus (EI) aircraft reported the diverted American Airlines jet being met by a full emergency response.
Fire crews and paramedics were seen staging near the aircraft, although no official medical or technical reason has been publicly confirmed for the diversions.
As of the latest update, no injuries or onboard emergencies have been reported.
So it looks like a technical issue, and the airline is trying to resolve it as quickly as possible.
A 4.7-year-old aircraft, registered as N875BD, has been grounded at Barcelona Airport since the incident.
We reached out to American Airlines to find the actual reason; however, they have not responded to us at the time of publication of this post. Will update the post once we get an appropriate response from the airline.
Photo: By Tomás Del Coro from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – N803AL American Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner s/n 40621, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63558701Similar Incident
An American Airlines (AA) flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) was forced to return shortly after takeoff on January 7, 2025, due to a technical malfunction.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as flight AA203, safely landed back in Amsterdam after fuel dumping procedures.
A second attempt to operate the return journey as flight AA9605 was also aborted the next day due to a hydraulic oil leak.
Two Consecutive Mechanical Failures
American Airlines flight AA203 departed Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) at 1:46 PM UTC bound for Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). Shortly after takeoff, the flight crew encountered a technical fault and requested to level off at Flight Level 060 (6,000 feet), initially continuing on the planned departure route.
As conditions evolved, the crew decided to remain closer to AMS and climbed to FL130 (13,000 feet) while flying at speeds below the clean configuration minimum. The crew initiated fuel dumping procedures over the North Sea to meet landing weight requirements and safely returned to Amsterdam at 3:16 PM UTC, approximately 90 minutes after departure.
The aircraft involved, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner registered as N819AN, is 7.8 years old and powered by GEnX engines. Initial findings linked the issue to the aircraft’s flap system, a critical component affecting lift and landing configurations.
Attempted Recovery Flight Also Aborted
Following the initial incident, American Airlines scheduled a recovery flight the next day under flight number AA9605.
The aircraft was planned to depart AMS at 1:30 PM local time and arrive in Philadelphia (PHL) by 3:32 PM local time.
However, during pre-departure checks, the crew identified a hydraulic oil leak. As hydraulic systems are essential for flight control operations, the airline chose to cancel the flight, prioritizing passenger safety. This extended the aircraft’s ground time at AMS for further inspection and repairs.
Photo: American AirlinesNew 787-9 Had Multiple issues
American Airlines is grappling with operational setbacks involving its newly delivered Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, registered as N846AN. The aircraft has encountered repeated mechanical issues since its delivery flight from Everett (PAE) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW).
Initial flights connecting Dallas (DFW), Chicago (ORD), and Los Angeles (LAX) faced cancellations and delays, raising concerns about the aircraft’s reliability and Boeing’s quality control during delivery.
The Boeing 787-9, registered as N846AN, arrived at American Airlines’ (AA) Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) base on April 29, 2025. Equipped with updated interiors, the aircraft was expected to strengthen AA’s long-haul operations. Instead, it has been sidelined by a pattern of technical problems.
Its service rollout began on June 4 with a non-revenue positioning flight (AA9783) from Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD). However, shortly after departure, a mechanical fault forced the jet to return to DFW. Although it completed the repositioning the following day, further issues disrupted its commercial schedule.
On June 6, flights AA2012 and AA2321 between Chicago (ORD) and Los Angeles (LAX) were both canceled due to maintenance complications.
A partial recovery came on June 7 when the aircraft finally operated a delayed outbound flight from ORD to LAX. But its return leg suffered a severe 32-hour delay, rescheduled from 1 PM on June 7 to 9 PM on June 8.
Out of four scheduled commercial flights, only one was completed, underscoring significant operational unreliability in the aircraft’s early deployment.
Technical Concerns and Manufacturing Scrutiny
Sources suggest that the aircraft has suffered from multiple technical faults, including engine performance issues and door malfunctions. While minor hiccups are expected in new aircraft, the consistency and frequency of N846AN’s problems are unusual.
Aviation analysts, including @xJonNYC, have expressed uncertainty over whether these issues are part of typical service induction challenges or symptoms of deeper mechanical deficiencies. The repeated flight cancellations and returns point toward persistent, unresolved flaws.
American Airlines has made several attempts to bring the aircraft into regular service, but each effort has been hindered by new faults. These disruptions reflect poorly not just on the airline’s fleet reliability but also on Boeing’s delivery standards, which have already faced increased scrutiny due to recent lapses in manufacturing quality control.
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The post American Airlines 787 Pilots Makes U-Turn Twice to Barcelona appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
