An American Airlines flight was diverted on Sunday to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston after an oven fire was reported shortly after takeoff, officials said.
The Houston Airport System said in an emailed statement that airport operations and the Houston Fire Department responded and declared the aircraft safe after approximately 30 minutes.
An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday that there was a “mechanical issue onboard” caused by the oven in the forward gallery.
The spokesperson said that the airline’s maintenance team evaluated the aircraft after it landed.
The flight departed from Austin, Texas and was headed to Charlotte, N.C. when it was diverted to Houston. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft landed safely and without incident in Houston and taxied to the gate under its own power on Sunday, the American Airlines spokesperson added.
“We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and appreciate our team members for their professionalism. We are currently working to assist impacted customers, and they are scheduled to redepart to [Charlotte] later tonight,” the spokesperson said at the time.
