Passengers on an American Airlines flight were stuck in Philadelphia on Thanksgiving Day after a mechanical issue forced them off their plane in the middle of the night.
According to officials, this all unfolded around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, on the tarmac at Philadelphia International Airport.
American Airlines confirmed in a statement that this flight was headed to Savannah/Hilton Head International and that the plane had experienced a mechanical issue before departure.
The statement read in part:
“American Eagle flight 5671, operated by PSA Airlines, experienced a mechanical issue prior to departure at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). All customers and crew deplaned, and the aircraft was taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team. We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for their experience.”
Several passengers reported smelling smoke as the plane went down the runway, leading the crew to initiate an evacuation. Some travelers exited the aircraft through the aircraft’s emergency exit.
Jerry Parker, one of the passengers seated in an emergency exit row, told NBC10 that he helped guide others off the aircraft.
Parker shared that he and other passengers were frustrated as they waited in Philadelphia for re-booked flights.
“My flight was $600 round-trip. That’s a lot of money,” Parker said. “They need to hire quality people to work on the planes. Because we just had a crash a while back with a UPS plane, so that tells me they need to step their game up.”
American Airlines has not released additional details about the cause of the mechanical issue.
Officials said the passengers were able to depart for Savannah/Hilton Head International on a replacement aircraft later on Thanksgiving Day.
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