Philippine Airlines Flight Diverts to Tokyo Due to Cabin Smoke

A Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight bound for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was forced to divert to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) on April 9, 2025, due to smoke in the cabin. Flight PR 102 had departed from Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) at approximately 22:14 local time, but soon after, smoke was reported in the cabin of the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft (registration RPC 7782).

According to Philippine media, it was unclear when during the flight the smoke appeared, but Philippine Airlines confirmed that it was caused by an issue with the aircraft’s air conditioning unit. As a result, the flight diverted and made an emergency landing at Haneda Airport at 03:39 local time on April 10, 2025. The plane, carrying 355 passengers, landed safely, and there were no reports of injuries.

Photos shared by passengers on social media showed individuals covering their noses and mouths, presumably due to the smoke in the cabin. Despite the alarming situation, all passengers were safely evacuated upon landing.

Philippine Transportation Secretary Vince Hizon instructed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Civil Aeronautics Board to investigate the incident. Additionally, he issued a show cause order to Philippine Airlines after reports that the airline did not provide assistance to passengers following the diversion. The order highlighted that PAL had failed to have ground personnel or transport support available upon the aircraft’s arrival in Tokyo, which violated the Air Passenger Bill of Rights, which stipulates that passengers should receive timely assistance, accommodation, and information during delays, cancellations, and diversions.

Philippine Airlines responded by confirming it is coordinating with both Philippine and local authorities in Tokyo to address the situation. Despite the disruption, American comedian Jo Koy, who was on board with his family, took to Instagram to praise the flight attendants for their professionalism during the incident. “Thank you for remaining calm in a situation where it could have gone south bad. We are safe, we are in Tokyo, and our next flight out is in nine hours, so we’re going to have some sake,” Koy wrote in his post.

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