An Air France flight bound for Tokyo was forced to make an unexpected diversion to Georgia on Monday after turning around midway through its journey.
PARIS — Air France flight AF186, a Boeing 777-300ER (registration F-GSQD), departed Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) this morning at 09:33 CEST. The aircraft was scheduled for a routine 13-hour transcontinental flight to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).
Mid-Air U-Turn
According to flight tracking data, the aircraft was cruising smoothly at 32,000 feet just north of Turkmenistan—roughly six hours into the flight—when the flight crew made the decision to execute a sharp U-turn.
The widebody jet routed toward Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) in Georgia, where it safely touched down on runway 31L. The plane spent a little over seven hours in the air from its initial departure before landing.
Quick Turnaround Planned
While Air France has not yet released an official statement regarding the specific reason for the diversion—which is often indicative of a minor technical issue or a passenger medical emergency—the airline appears to be handling the situation rapidly.
Air France has announced plans for a brief, 52-minute stopover in Tbilisi to resolve the issue and refuel. The airline has updated its schedule, targeting a departure from Tbilisi at 19:40 local time to resume the journey to Tokyo.
Flight Status Summary:
- Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER (F-GSQD)
- Origin: Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
- Diversion Airport: Tbilisi International (TBS), parked on remote stand
- Estimated Resumed Departure: 19:40 Local Time
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
