Plane turns back 12 hours into 14-hour flight instead of completing journey

Passengers are livid after an American Airlines plane diverted back to the US a dozen hours into a 14-hour flight to Japan.

American Airlines Flight 167 departed John F Kennedy International Airport at 10.45am on Monday for Haneda Airport in Tokyo, FlightAware shows.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner traveled across the continental US and was off the coast of Alaska above the Pacific Ocean when the pilot received a message to turn back around.

Instead of continuing to Asia or returning to New York City, the plane diverted to Dallas Forth Worth International Airport in Texas, 12 hours into the journey that should have taken just two more hours to reach the original destination.

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