Flight issue- turn back #1391 PHX-PHX-LAX 12.17.18
 

Flightaware shows the PHX flight headed out about 45 minutes towards LAX then turned back to PHX. Now the flight is back westbound out of PHX to LAX again.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA1391

Any ideas or feedback from fellow FTers? I'm good with it, but my co-worker is freaked out about getting on the plane. ;-)

Could be anything! Answer this: If the plane wasn't airworthy, would the pilot fly it?

Just to clarify, the 45 minutes would be there and back. It was only 13 minutes into the flight according to flightaware. 45 minutes in and it would have been much closer to LAX, or ONT, etc, than PHX.

Probably a mechanical issue that necessitated the air interrupt back to PHX. PHX is a maintenance base and it also has more pax protection options.

SW made a good decision to return to PHX. There is a point where PHX is still closer than LAX or LAX/ONT is closer than PHX. Also it helps to have a SW maintenance crew available that some outstations may not have readily available as well as a backup crew in case they go illegal. These diverts are all planned as part of the pre-flight checks.

Would you rather be doing an emergency landing in the Mojave Desert or return back to PHX? I am sure the pilot would not just return a plane for no real reason. The pilots, Southwest Central Control and Air Traffic Control at PHX made a decision to return the flight and for a good reason.