When American Airlines Mistakenly Flew A Non-ETOPS Airbus A321 To Hawaii

Before 1985, passengers boarding a transoceanic flight could expect to fly in an aircraft with three or four engines. Given the vast distances these flights would cover without a diversion airport and the previously unreliable piston engine, regulators determined that airlines should not be allowed to deploy twin-engine jets on transoceanic flights. This meant operators were forced to deploy costly trijets and quadjets on most long-haul flights in their network. Today, though regulations have changed dramatically regarding which aircraft are legally permitted to fly long distances from a diversion airport, aircraft still need anETOPS certification.