A private jet carrying Jennifer Aniston and companions—including former Friends co-star Courteney Cox—was forced to circle to burn fuel before making an emergency landing due to a technical glitch.
Aniston and friends had reportedly just taken off on a flight headed to a popular Mexican resort destination on Feb. 15, when a landing gear problem forced the plane to turn around, according to People magazine.
Courteney Cox (L) and Jennifer Aniston pose at the after party for the premiere of Netflix's "Dumplin'" at Sunset Tower in Los Angeles, on Dec. 6, 2018. Kevin Winter/Getty Images
The plane was diverted to a nearby airport, where the actress and her companions—heading to Cabo reportedly to celebrate Aniston’s Feb. 11 birthday—changed planes and eventually reached their destination safely.
Photographs appearing to show Aniston and Cox on the ground in Cabo were later published by the Daily Mail.
‘On Alert for an Incoming Aircraft’
Officials at the Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Southern California announced in a tweet that police and fire crews had been put on standby in response to an incoming plane “with pilot, co-pilot on board experiencing landing gear issue.”In a subsequent announcement, the Twitter account of ONT Airport stated that the plane—a Gulfstream with the tail number N729TY— had “landed safely.”
The same account later sent a tweet of a photograph of the aircraft, with the message, “we hope your 50th birthday is one to remember #JenniferAniston.”
Actress Amanda Anka, wife of actor Jason Bateman, and writer Molly Kimmel, wife of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, were also on the diverted Gulfstream aircraft, according to TMZ.
Courteney Cox (L) and Jennifer Aniston speak during the American Film Institute's 46th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to George Clooney at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., on June 7, 2018. Kevin Winter/Getty Images
50th Birthday Bash
News of Friday’s plane scare came almost a week after Aniston celebrated her 50th birthday with friends, including Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Demi Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, George and Amal Clooney, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Downey Jr., Barbra Streisand, and ex-husband Brad Pitt.“Brad snaked around most of the paparazzi Saturday night at the Sunset Tower hotel on the Sunset Strip but you see him from behind as he enters the building,” TMZ said, adding that Aniston “loves the chicken salad” at the restaurant.
People magazine reported that the two, who were subjected to supermarket tabloid fodder for years in the early 2000s, have remained friends.
“They aren’t in regular contact, beyond an occasional text back and forth to wish each other the best when there’s been a new project or big event,” a person close to the couple told the magazine.
“Basically, every single person who Jen loves attended. That included Brad,” a source told People, adding. “The party was a celebration of Jen’s life.”
