Delta flight diverted after burning too much fuel

By Kelly Yamanouchi

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In an unusual diversion, a Delta Air Lines flight headed from Atlanta to Hartford, Conn., earlier this week landed instead at New York's LaGuardia Airport because it had burned too much fuel, the airline said.

Passengers on Flight 1690 were offered bus rides to Hartford.

"I've been traveling for 20 years and never had anything like that," said Kelly Bonner, a passenger who lives in Snellville. She said the flight on an MD-88 was scheduled to depart Atlanta at about12:30 p.m. Tuesday and arrive in Hartford at 2:45. Instead she arrived by bus at about 8:30 p.m.

Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott said the flight was diverted to LaGuardia "as a result of excessive fuel burn."

"It’s very rare that something like that occurs," Elliott said, adding that it was a mechanical issue.

Some passengers were confused by the unexpected diversion.

"They just said, for some reason that we don't know, we've burned much more fuel than we should have," Bonner said.

Passenger Mike Mikolay said he would "much rather be on the ground if we have a fuel issue than be in the air if we don't have enough."

"There was something that wasn't right that the pilots had concern over. By the time we got on buses, there still wasn't a clear explanation of what went on, and they did their best at communicating to us," Mikolay said.