Southwest Plane Forced To Land In Milwaukee Due To Mechanical Concerns

MILWAUKEE, WI — A Southwest flight from Chicago to Phoenix was diverted Wednesday and forced to land in Milwaukee due to a possible mechanical issue, according to the airline.

The diversion of the 12:45 p.m. flight out of Midway airport was caused by a potential problem with one of the aircraft’s flaps, a spokeswoman for Southwest said in an email, adding a different plane was assigned to take the passengers to Phoenix.

“We appreciate our Customers’ patience as we work to get them to their destinations as quickly as possible,” the email said.

The diverted flight came in the midst of a tumultuous week for the airline and its customers, as thousands of Southwest flights were canceled Wednesday, according to FlightAware, including more than 200 at Midway. Cancellations and baggage issues involving the carrier have stretched on for days following a massive winter storm last week, with both President Joe Biden and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg demanding the airline do better.

"On the heels of wide-scale disruptions, we're working diligently to Safely recover our operation and accommodate displaced Customers and Crews," Southwest said Tuesday night on social media. "We acknowledge this is unacceptable and sincerely apologize."