NEW YORK — A London-bound American Airlines flight was forced to divert to John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday evening after encountering a mechanical issue shortly after takeoff from Boston.
American Airlines Flight AA108, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER (registration N772AN), pushed back from Terminal B, Gate 22 at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on July 20 for its scheduled transatlantic crossing to London Heathrow (LHR). However, shortly after departure, the flight crew encountered a malfunction when the aircraft’s landing gear remained stuck in the down position.
Low-Altitude Routing and Diversion
Because extended landing gear causes high aerodynamic drag and significantly increases fuel burn, crossing the Atlantic was not feasible. Rather than holding over Boston to burn down heavy landing weight, the crew made the tactical decision to route south toward New York at a low altitude.
Flight tracking data showed the widebody aircraft maintaining a low altitude of around 5,000 feet as it navigated down the coast toward Long Island before safely touching down at New York-JFK. The decision to divert to JFK provided access to American Airlines’ major international maintenance hub and dedicated long-haul support facilities.
Flight Track Summary
[BOS Departure] ──> [Landing Gear Issue] ──> [5,000 ft Ferry South] ──> [JFK Diversion]
Aircraft Swap and Cancellation Summary
| Incident Overview | Details |
| Flight Number | American Airlines AA108 |
| Original Route | Boston Logan (BOS) $\rightarrow$ London Heathrow (LHR) |
| Affected Aircraft | Boeing 777-200ER (Reg: N772AN) |
| Primary Issue | Landing gear failed to retract post-takeoff |
| Replacement Aircraft | Boeing 777-200ER (Reg: N784AN) |
| Final Status | Passengers returned to Boston; flight ultimately canceled |
Following the safe landing at JFK, American Airlines dispatched a replacement Boeing 777-200ER (registration N784AN) to ferry the stranded passengers and crew back to Boston. After returning to Logan International Airport, the transatlantic flight was formally canceled, and affected travelers were rebooked onto alternate flights.
No injuries were reported, and technical teams at JFK are inspecting the primary aircraft to determine the cause of the gear retraction failure.
