American Airlines flight forced to divert due to mysterious odour

Aircraft examined by maintenance team

A flight attendant was bitten on the hand by an emotional support dog on an American Airlines flight (AFP/Getty Images)

An American Airlines flight was forced to divert after a mysterious odour was detected onboard.

The flight from Philadelphia International Airport to London Heathrow touched down in Boston at 11.48pm local time, around 90 minutes after take-off.

The airline confirmed that a maintenance team was examining the aircraft following the incident.

None of the 154 passengers or 12 crew members onboard the Airbus A330-300 complained of illness, according to the airline.

It’s the not the first time strange smells have delayed a flight.

In May a flight from Las Vegas had to return to the gate before take-off after an odour was detected onboard.

The Spirit Airlines service from McCarran International Airport to Minneapolis was grounded and eight people were taken to hospital following the incident.

An airport spokesperson confirmed that 15 people were examined by paramedics, while one passenger, six crew members and one medical responder were transported to hospital.

The smell onboard flight 170 “resembled oil”, a Spirit spokesperson told KSTP.

The Airbus A321 aircraft was removed from service for maintenance checks.

Only a few days prior, another Spirit Airlines service from Las Vegas to Tampa, Florida, was diverted to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

“Spirit flight 1128 from Las Vegas to Tampa landed safely in Dallas following reports of an odour onboard,” Stephen Schuler, director of communications for Spirit, told Fox News.