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Flight Leaves Switzerland Toward Greece, But After 32 Hours, Four Stops and One Night Out, Returns to Origin.
A flight that was supposed to last about two and a half hours ended up becoming a 32-hour marathon for 137 passengers of the German airline Condor. Flight 1234, which took off from Zurich, Switzerland, on May 24th, bound for Heraklion on the Greek island of Crete, faced a series of detours and eventually returned to its point of origin.
First Failed Attempt
The airplane took off normally, but as it approached Heraklion, it was forced to divert to Athens. According to data from Flightradar24, the aircraft circled several times over the coast before giving up on landing. A Condor spokesperson explained that “extreme weather conditions with strong winds” limited operations at the airport.
More Diversions and a Night Out
After two hours in Athens, the pilots tried again to reach Heraklion. The attempt failed, and the flight was diverted to Kos, another Greek island. After another hour and a half on the ground, the aircraft proceeded to Thessaloniki, where passengers spent the night.
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Final Attempt and Return to Switzerland
The next morning, the pilots attempted to land in Heraklion for the third time. After half an hour circling the coast, they gave up again and returned to Athens. Shortly thereafter, the flight left Greece and returned to Zurich, landing around 3 PM local time — exactly 32 hours after the initial takeoff.
Condor Apologizes
In a statement, Condor regretted the disruptions and highlighted that all passengers were provided with snacks and beverages during the journey. The company stated that the safety of passengers and crew was a priority at all times and requested that those affected contact customer service for refunds or rescheduling.
Although it is not uncommon for flights to return to origin after diversions, the number of failed attempts and the long travel time make Condor’s case an unusual episode.
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