A Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 en route to Washington, DC returned to Frankfurt after reporting an unidentified odor on board on 13 October 2024.
Lufthansa flight LH418, operated by an A340-600, had departed Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) bound for Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).
Lufthansa LH418 Frankfurt-Washington
Whilst in cruising flight over the Netherlands, flight crew reported the presence of an unidentified odour on board the aircraft. According to the online source Aviation Herald, a passenger on board the flight reported that cabin crew advised the flight would return to Frankfurt.
The announcement further advised that an unidentified odour on board the aircraft had caused discomfort to some of the crew. The source of the odour could not be ascertained, and flight crew elected to make a precautionary return to Frankfurt.
A direct return to the origin airport was then carried out. The aircraft landed without further incident at Frankfurt am Main Airport, approximately one hour after its initial departure.
Flight data shows that Lufthansa flight LH418 had made a slightly delayed departure out of Frankfurt. Time of departure was logged as 1349 local time on 13 October.
Following departure, the flight had then proceeded normally, climbing to flight level FL340 (34,000 feet) for the transatlantic service to Washington. The diversion was initiated in Netherlands airspace, shortly after the flight reached cruising altitude.
The aircraft conducting the LH418 service was an Airbus A340-600, registered D-AIHF. This is a 20.8 year old wide-body aircraft belonging to the national carrier Lufthansa. It has been an operational service with the airline since its initial delivery from the factory in February 2004.
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