United Dulles-to-Mexico flight lands safely in Havana after crew notes strange smell

United Dulles-to-Mexico flight lands safely in Havana after crew notes strange smell
By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, July 31, 8:37 PM

HAVANA — A United Airlines jetliner carrying 135 passengers from Washington to a Mexican beach resort made an unplanned landing in Cuba on Sunday after a strange odor was detected on board.

United Airlines Flight 831 left Dulles airport in the morning and was bound for Cancun but instead diverted to Havana around noon after “the crew noticed an unfamiliar smell in the cabin,” airline spokesman Charles Hobart said in a statement.

“In an abundance of caution, the pilots decided to land the aircraft at the nearest available airport,” he said. “The plane landed routinely and safely in Havana and we are working to re-accommodate our customers.”

~snip~
On the day of the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington, Havana offered to let the United States use its landing fields because U.S. airports were in a state of chaos. Washington did not take Cuba up on the offer.

More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/americas/united-says-dulles-to-mexico-flight-lands-safely-in-havana-after-crew-notes-strange-smell/2011/07/31/gIQA9AzDmI_story.html