A European airport refused to allow a 787 carrying over 200 people at the end of an eight-hour flight for a very unusual reason. The American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Naples was forced to land in Rome on June 3.

But this happened for one unexpected reason - it was two metres (6.5ft) too long, exceeding Naples airport's limits. The plane was a Boeing 787-9, rather than the 787-8, which usually makes the journey. The 787-9 is six metres (19.6ft) longer than the other plane, 63 metres (206ft), and exceeds Naples' limits The was told as it approached the airport that it couldn't land and was diverted 124 miles away.

Pilots of American Airlines flight AA780 were only made aware of the issue when air traffic control informed them, forcing them to turn around over the Tyrrhenian Sea and head to the Italian capital.

This 124-mile detour forced the plane's 231 passengers and 11 crew members to get, after landing, a three-hour bus from Rome to eventually reach Naples. American Airlines apologised for 'operational limitations'.

Landing a 787-8 can be done at airports classified as RFFS 8, RFFS 9 for the 787-9. Naples Airport is classified as RFFS 8, which allows the landing of a 787-8, but not the heavier 787-9.

This wasn't the only time this week that a diversion forced passengers to travel the remainder of their journey by bus. A Ryanair flight was diverted due to weather conditions.

The flight left Berlin and flew into a thunderstorm, causing severe turbulence that injured eight people, three of whom were taken to a local hospital.

Passengers were put on a bus from Memmingen, Germany, to Milan, a roughly four-and-a-half-hour journey. Ryanair said they "sincerely apologise to passengers affected".