A Hawaiian Airlines flight bound for Seattle on Sunday was forced to return to Honolulu after it was reported smoke was observed coming from one of its engines on Sunday afternoon. The incident resulted in the flight being diverted, passenger evacuated and delayed, and the eventual resumption of the flight with its arrival in the early hours of Monday.
Mid-air smoke forces the emergency return.
Hawaiian Airlines Flight 22 departed from Honolulu Airport on Sunday, February 9, 2025, at 1:49 pm and was en route to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Shortly after takeoff, smoke was observed coming from the aircraft’s left engine, prompting the crew to declare an emergency and seek an immediate return to Honolulu.
The flight, operated by a 10-year-old Airbus A330-200, with registration N375HA, landed safely back at HNL at approximately 2:03 p.m. local time, just 29 minutes later. Emergency crews met the aircraft upon arrival, but there were no reported issues or injuries among the nearly 300 passengers and crew onboard. Passengers were evacuated from the plane so that it could be repaired, and airline staff worked to successfully arrange for a replacement aircraft.
Hours-long delay.
Following the emergency landing, affected passengers were accommodated on the substitute flight later Sunday evening. That new flight departed Honolulu at approximately 7:50 p.m. and landed in Seattle after 3 a.m. on Monday. Hawaiian Airlines issued a statement apologizing for the disruption, citing safety as its top priority.
What causes in-flight engine smoke?
Mid-air engine smoke can stem from several issues, including oil leaks, overheating components, or mechanical failures. Airlines follow strict protocols in such situations, requiring immediate assessment and, when necessary, an emergency landing as took place. These events remain rare.
The issue appears to have been rectified, given that the same aircraft is now scheduled to depart HNL again on Monday afternoon at 2 p.m., this time heading to Sacramento.
The cost, impact and plans related to diversions.
Flight diversions like this one come at a cost to both passengers and airlines. Hawaiian Airlines, like all carriers, has contingency plans for such events, which in this case was made easier by the fact that the issue occurred at the carrier’s Honolulu home base.
Final thoughts.
Diversions due to in-flight smoke are rare but not unheard of. For travelers, unexpected delays and disruptions can occur unexpectedly and remain a reality of safe, modern air travel.
Were you on Sunday’s diverted flight? We’d love to hear from you. Mahalo.
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It wasn’t smake coming from the engine; it was a fuel leak
It wasn’t smoke coming from the engine. It was fuel leak. Sheesh. Reporting on aviation seems to be incorrect Most of the time.
Makes me wonder if these airbus Britney/Pratt engines that everyone favors over Boeing 737 aircraft are really that reliable. Looks like another one bit the dust. What is that 5 engines in the last year and a half and 8 months to get parts to fix them. No thanks.
Hawaiian A330 doesn’t use a Pratt engine. It uses Rolls Royce. Besides, it wasn’t an engine issue. It was a fuel leak