American Airlines had an unexpected detour during a recent flight to Naples, Italy, when the Boeing 787-9 aircraft was rerouted to Rome-Fiumicino Airport due to the smaller size of the destination airport. Typically, American Airlines uses the smaller Boeing 787-8 for the Philadelphia to Naples route, but on June 4, 2025, the larger 787-9 model was scheduled.

Naples-Capodichino Airport was not equipped to handle the larger aircraft, with its runway measuring only 2,628 meters, suitable for a Boeing 787-8 with some payload adjustments. The 787-9 required more space for takeoff, leading to the diversion to Fiumicino Airport, approximately 220 km north of Naples. Passengers had to complete the last leg of their journey by bus, causing a delay.

On board Flight AA780 were 231 passengers and 11 crew members when the incident occurred. American Airlines had recently resumed its seasonal Philadelphia-Naples service in May 2025 as part of its expanded European summer schedule.