Alaska Airlines Flight 255 Bound for Kona Diverted Back to Anchorage

Alaska Airlines Flight 255, operating from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Kailua-Kona, turned back midflight on Feb. 5 after the crew reported a mechanical problem. The aircraft landed back in Anchorage with no injuries reported, and passengers later were placed on a replacement plane that reached Kona in the early hours of Feb. 6.

Alaska Airlines told reporters the flight “turned back for a mechanical issue and declared an emergency for priority handling.” The airline also issued an apology: “We apologize to our guests for the disruption in their plans and for the late arrival into Kona,” the carrier said. Social media posts and local outlets confirmed the aircraft landed safely and that no one was hurt.

Accounts of the timing differ across flight-tracking reports and local coverage. FlightAware data cited by Big Island Now shows Flight 255 took off at 3:53 p.m. Anchorage time and later reversed course; Big Island Now reported the aircraft was described as a twin-jet Boeing 737 MAX 9. KTUU referenced flight-tracking records that placed departure around 2:45 p.m. AKST and said the aircraft returned roughly 1 hour and 37 minutes after takeoff, landing back in Anchorage at about 6:38 p.m. Other local coverage gave slightly different timestamps and time zone labels, including a 7:38 p.m. landing time reported by Big Island Now and KITV. Those discrepancies underline the need to confirm exact timestamps with official flight logs and the airline when precise clock times matter to passengers and planners.

Operationally the diversion created significant delays for Big Island travelers. KTUU reported Alaska swapped passengers onto a different Boeing jet and relaunched the route around 10:45 p.m. AKST, with the replacement flight arriving in Kona near 3:50 a.m. HST. Big Island Now estimated arrivals around 4 a.m., roughly 5.5 to 6 hours later than originally scheduled. For travelers arriving on Kona-bound flights, such an overnight delay can affect connections, ground transportation, rental car pickups, and planned events on the island.

For Big Island residents and visitors, the immediate implications are practical. Passengers affected by AS255 should confirm their itineraries directly with Alaska Airlines and check flight status updates before traveling to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. Local businesses that rely on early-morning arrivals, including shuttle services and accommodations, may need to adjust staffing and pickups for delayed guests.

The core unanswered questions include the precise nature of the mechanical issue and the definitive timeline of events; Alaska Airlines did not provide technical specifics. Flight-aware logs, FAA or air traffic control records, and an official airline statement could clarify the sequence and the aircraft identification. For now, the incident underscores the dependence of Big Island travel and commerce on a small number of direct flights and the ripple effects when one long-haul service is delayed. Expect follow-up reporting as authorities and the airline release further details.