NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – A Delta flight from LaGuardia Airport was diverted to JFK Airport on Tuesday over a mechanical issue related to the hydraulics, officials said.
Flight 856 departed LaGuardia en route to Dallas-Fort Worth just before 10:30 a.m. The aircraft made it south of Allentown, Pennsylvania, before circling back to JFK, flight maps show.
Officials said the plane experienced an issue related to hydraulic pressure, and the flight crew declared an emergency landing with air traffic control for priority landing at JFK, which has a longer runway than other airports.
There were 102 customers and five crew members aboard the Airbus A220 at the time, officials said.
“The flight crew followed procedures to divert to New York-JFK for a more optimal runway after indication of a mechanical issue after departure from New York – LaGuardia,” Delta said in a statement.
“The aircraft landed safely, and we apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel. Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people,” the airline said.
Passengers deplaned at the gate and were being re-accommodated on other flights to their final destinations.
Delta teams were examining the aircraft, officials said.