2 passenger planes turn back to Dallas after inflight technical issues

(CNN) -- Two American Airlines flights flew back to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport early Monday because of technical issues. The passenger jets landed within two minutes of each other.

Flight 1359 made an emergency landing at 12:21 a.m. CT after the pilot was alerted to a mechanical issue, airline spokeswoman Laura Masvidal said.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 plane had left for Fresno, California, with 140 passengers and five crew members an hour earlier. Masvidal did not say what the mechanical issue was.

The second flight, AAL 997, was over the Gulf of Mexico on its way to Buenos Aires, Argentina, when a problem with pressurization turned up.

The Boeing 777-200, carrying 223 passengers and 14 crew members, turned back to have the issue checked out but did not have to make an emergency landing, Masvidal said. It arrived at 12:23 a.m.

Both planes landed safely, and the flights were rescheduled for later times.