FRANKFURT- Lufthansa (LH) passengers on flight LH510 from Frankfurt (FRA) to Buenos Aires (EZE) experienced an unexpected and exhausting journey across South America.
The Boeing 747-8, scheduled for a direct 13-hour flight, instead diverted twice, first to Asuncion (ASU), then to São Paulo (GRU), before being canceled entirely.
During its final approach into São Paulo, the aircraft declared a rare mayday emergency citing “crew fatigue and fuel shortage,” prompting emergency services to respond upon landing.
Photo: By tjdarmstadt – IMG_6836.jpg, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61529638Lufthansa Flight Double Diversion
Lufthansa’s (LH) flight LH510, the airline’s longest regularly scheduled route at 7,133 miles, encountered serious operational issues on July 7, 2025.
Operated by a Boeing 747-8, registered as D-ABYM, the flight departed Frankfurt (FRA) at 10:28 PM, en route to Buenos Aires (EZE), but poor visibility in Argentina forced a dramatic change of plans.
On approach to Buenos Aires, the crew was forced into a holding pattern at 7,000 feet due to deteriorating weather. With no improvement in conditions after a prolonged wait, the pilots opted to divert to Asuncion, Paraguay (ASU), 663 miles away.
The aircraft landed safely in Asuncion at 8:00 AM local time, 14 hours and 32 minutes after takeoff. Following a brief ground stop for refueling, the aircraft departed once again at 8:56 AM, aiming to complete the original journey to Buenos Aires.
However, weather conditions at the destination still hadn’t improved. The crew initiated a second diversion, this time to São Paulo, Brazil (GRU), a Lufthansa-served hub 1,069 miles from Buenos Aires.
The aircraft landed at São Paulo at 1:04 PM, roughly 20 hours after its initial departure from Frankfurt.
Lufthansa Declared Mayday
According to OMAAT, during the final approach into São Paulo, the Lufthansa 747 declared a mayday. Air traffic control recordings later confirmed the crew cited “crew fatigue and fuel shortage” as the cause.
Aviation experts noted the unusual nature of listing fatigue ahead of fuel issues. While fuel emergencies are a clear justification for a mayday, crew fatigue is typically managed through regulations and scheduling rather than emergency declarations.
Nonetheless, the extended flight time, dual diversions, and back-to-back holding patterns likely pushed both the crew duty limits and fuel reserves beyond operational safety margins.
Emergency services, including fire trucks, met the aircraft upon arrival as standard protocol for a declared mayday.
Photo: By tjdarmstadt – IMG_6410.jpg, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61529569Passenger Impact
With the crew legally timed out and unable to continue duty, Lufthansa officially canceled the flight. Passengers who were now stranded after nearly a full day aboard rebooked on alternate services from São Paulo to Buenos Aires or their respective final destinations.
As of the latest updates, the Boeing 747-8 remains grounded in São Paulo. Lufthansa has yet to confirm whether the aircraft will be ferried back to Frankfurt or proceed onward to Argentina for future scheduling.
This incident highlights the compounding challenges faced on ultra-long-haul routes. Weather unpredictability, limited nearby alternate airports, and strict crew duty regulations all pose significant risks.
Though rare, such diversions underscore the complex decision-making pilots must execute under dynamic and high-stress conditions.
For Lufthansa, which maintains strong regional support in São Paulo, the diversion allowed for smoother passenger handling compared to more isolated alternatives.
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Lufthansa Boeing 747 Makes An Emergency Landing in Argentina
The post Lufthansa 747 Declares Mayday After Double Diversion on Longest Route appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
