United Airlines Boeing 787 Diverts To Remote Pago Pago

United Airlines Boeing 787 Diverts To Remote Pago Pago

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Some United Airlines passengers hoping to ring in the new year in Australia are instead getting to explore American Samoa, thanks to a maintenance issue over the Pacific.

Sydney-bound United Boeing 787 diverts to Pago Pago

This incident took place on United Airlines flight UA839, which operates the 7,488-mile journey from Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD). Specifically, this involves the flight that was scheduled to take off at 10:55PM on Thursday, December 29, 2022, and land in Sydney at 9:15AM on Saturday, December 31, 2022. Presumably most of the 230 passengers onboard were excited to celebrate the new year in Sydney.

The flight was operated by a seven-year-old Boeing 787-9 with the registration code N38955. For roughly the first seven hours, the flight operated as planned, flying southwest over the Pacific Ocean, including flying to the south of Hawaii.

However, at that point there were reportedly some engine issues, and the plane’s right engine had to be shut down. That’s never a fun situation when you’re flying in a remote area, with limited diversion points. At this point the flight was just north of Kiribati, and the plane started flying to the south.

The United 787 descended from its cruising altitude of 38,000 feet down to 20,000 feet, where it proceeded to cruise for nearly three hours.

After roughly 10 hours in the air, the plane ended up diverting to Pago Pago, American Samoa (PPG), where it landed at 6:22AM local time on December 30, 2022 (Pago Pago is on the opposite side of the International Date Line of Sydney).

United Airlines’ diversion to Pago Pago
United Airlines’ diversion to Pago Pago
United Airlines’ diversion to Pago Pago

Keep in mind that since American Samoa is a US territory, travelers can enter with a US passport. I wonder if that factored into the decision to divert there compared to another airport in the region.

United Airlines dispatches rescue Boeing 787

United Airlines generally does a great job with minimizing disruptions from diversions, and this was no exception. Obviously finding a spare Boeing 787 and sending it to Pago Pago is no small task, especially when you consider that you also need to find a crew that’s “legal” to work the trip, while minimizing disruptions to other passengers.

Following this incident, United dispatched a Boeing 787-9 from Sydney to Pago Pago. United sent a roughly two-year-old plane with the registration code N24979. It would appear that United canceled its Sydney to Houston flight to make this happen — I imagine it wasn’t too full, departing Australia just before the new year.

United Airlines’ Sydney to Houston flight was canceled

The plane departed Sydney for the 2,736-mile journey at 5:22PM on December 31, 2022, and landed in Pago Pago at 12:44AM on December 31, 2022.

United Airlines’ rescue flight to Pago Pago

The plane is now scheduled to operate as UA3032 from Pago Pago to Sydney, departing at 3AM on December 31, 2022, and arriving in Sydney at 7:01AM on January 1, 2023. That’s quite some time travel! 😉

Flight status for United Airlines’ rescue flight to Sydney

In the end, passengers should arrive in Sydney around 22 hours behind schedule. I think the big question is how passengers spent their 21 hours on the ground in Pago Pago — hopefully they got to explore the island!

Bottom line

A United Airlines Boeing 787 scheduled to operate to Sydney had engine issues over the Pacific Ocean, leading to the engine being shut down, and the plane dropping altitude. The flight diverted to Pago Pago, American Samoa, where passengers are currently spending around 21 hours on the ground.

United sent a rescue plane and crew to Pago Pago, which has now landed, and should shortly be taking passengers to Sydney, for an arrival early in the morning on January 1. Given the complexity of this situation, I’d say United did a great job.

What do you make of United’s Pago Pago diversion?

Conversations (44)
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  1. keith ava Guest

    is the broken B787 still in PPG?

  2. Jon Guest

    As a United mechanic, ETOPS procedures went exactly as designed. (Our pilots are true professionals.) We are extremely cautious to make sure (mechanically) that any over water diversion will go as smoothly as possible. Saftey is our highest priority!

  3. HkCaGu Guest

    American Samoans must be hoping for an AA diversion to PPG soon. What a photo op that would be! Put a Samoa Airways plane and an AA plane in the frame, and you'd see American Samoa in American Samoa!

  4. Gary S Meredith Guest

    Don't for a minute there was a choice between crashing into the ocean with no engine going or go to Pago Pago a remote island with 1 engine going , number one I'd give that pilot give him the best award of the year for thinking , so I don't think people should be complaining about going to Pago Pago for a day or two , give this pilot was thinking about the safety of his passengers I give United credit for this one .

  5. Robert Weber Guest

    787 was designed to comply with ETOPS-xx . I would like to know how many diversions have been made.
    Has the PW 787 been better or the GE 787?

    1. GL Guest

      There are no PW powered 787s. Only GE and RR.

  6. rh Guest

    I'd be interested to know how United will get repairs done to the original aircraft and return it to service.

    1. keith ava Guest

      I'm sure they sent a mechanic crew on that flight from SYD to PPG to fix that plane an get a ferry permit to fly it to SYD or HNL/LAX.

  7. Rwspas Guest

    I will say that I have been critical of UAL and CEO Scott Kirby in the past, and at the time I believe well deserved. I beleive they have turned a corner and are (finally) starting to reflect some of their Continental roots. Good job to UAL and all their employees from CEO on down.

  8. crosscourt Guest

    The flight has landed in Sydney according to the news bulletins here.

    1. David. Guest

      1. The Boeing Aircraft mfg co. The new air craft Boeing 787 is good Sellars product too. Is twin engine Passanger Jet Plane . Now they will build an Boeing 787-10 will hold 500 passengers too. It will be bigest twin engine Air linner too. It should on blue brints on paper of decisions an measurements too. Later they will build it too. Agree! Do you agree! Sir? Or Mam? This can bring millions of...

      1. The Boeing Aircraft mfg co. The new air craft Boeing 787 is good Sellars product too. Is twin engine Passanger Jet Plane . Now they will build an Boeing 787-10 will hold 500 passengers too. It will be bigest twin engine Air linner too. It should on blue brints on paper of decisions an measurements too. Later they will build it too. Agree! Do you agree! Sir? Or Mam? This can bring millions of Dollars too . It will cost about 200 million dollars per Air craft too. Agree. Sir?or Mam? This should be big seller Air linner PASSANGER Plane too. Agree!¡!!<

    2. Dave D Guest

      The 787-10 already exists, and holds 318 customers in United's configuration.
      So no, I don't agree that a 787-10 will be designed that carries 500 passengers.

  9. DeAnna DeRosa Guest

    Congratulations to the pilot for making a safe landing. Experience pays off!

  10. Randy Diamond

    Another instance where this route should be flown with 4 engine aircraft. But 747 and 340 and 380 are no more.

    1. crosscourt Guest

      Yes they are. Qantas crosses the Pacific with A380's

    2. Randy Diamond

      Yep, airlines are still flying all three 747, 340, 380. Just you can't buy them new.

    3. ConcordeBoy Diamond

      Wait 'til someone informs you that twinjets suffered fewer diversions per 100,000 flight hours than quads AND trijets, beginning in the '80s, even when you adjust for flights solely 8hrs+....

      But until then, do continue to cling to obsolete notions for comfort.

  11. Melvin Mitchell Guest

    At least everyone made it safe and alive.
    Hope they have some good sea food and BBQ pork is a Pago Pago specialty while they waited for the rescue plane to save them.

  12. Yiannis Guest

    You’re just hearing about this now? This is old news.

  13. Jack Rinaldi Guest

    50 years ago l spent 3 days there....flying on Pan Am.....and stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel. l'll bet they were put up at that property...

    1. John Guest

      That property hasn’t existed for almost 50 years

    2. Jayson Carter Guest

      Actually it does under the name Sadie's by the Sea. But it's the same. I'm a local,and, my good friend owns it.

    3. Randal K Guest

      The Intercontinental then is Now Called Sadies. It's by mainland standards 1 or 2 stars. I was on that flight (839)...The Hotel gave us a room with a door that didn't lock. We were fed 2 great meals and drinks. The "Bus" that we rode in was not air conditioned but had plastic windows half rolled down. We were grateful to be alive. The insult came when we received an email from United offering us...

      The Intercontinental then is Now Called Sadies. It's by mainland standards 1 or 2 stars. I was on that flight (839)...The Hotel gave us a room with a door that didn't lock. We were fed 2 great meals and drinks. The "Bus" that we rode in was not air conditioned but had plastic windows half rolled down. We were grateful to be alive. The insult came when we received an email from United offering us $200 flight credit that had to be used in one year. What about the $400 hotel night we lost in Sydney?

  14. Gern Blinston Guest

    Is this really news? Or is it just another sad attempt by a ground pounder to slight Boeing?

    1. ConcordeBoy Diamond

      Why are you stating that as if Boeing somehow needs help revealing how shitty of an operation/producer it's devolved into?

  15. Mark D Guest

    As a retired United pilot, I can tell you unequivocally that the divert destination decision had precisely nothing to do with Pago-Pago being a U.S. territory. The captain makes the final decision on this, and that factor wouldn't even be on the list of things to consider.

    1. Les Guest

      I would assume that safety comes first and the diversion airfield was selected accordingly. Also, it would have been unwise to continue single engine to Sydney and also out of fuel range at lower FL.

  16. S Gold

    Difference between UA (and the rest of the Big 3) and the smaller airlines on full display. Not even 24 hours and already on your way after getting stuck in as remote a place as you could think of. And I also read on Flyertalk that someone on the flight said they got tour buses and hotels to explore the island and stay. Job well done!

    Meanwhile WN can't handle a BWI to FLL flight.

  17. Scott Peterson Guest

    Same thing happened to me in 1987 on a flight from SYD to HNL on Hawaiian. After 2 airborn emergencies over Sydney, on the 3rd attempt the landing gear wouldn't go up. We flew low and low from Sydney to Pago Pago (below 10,000 and 250 knots with gear down) and stayed there for 3 days until another aircraft could deliver a part!

    Many months later I ran into the Captain or First Officer at...

    Same thing happened to me in 1987 on a flight from SYD to HNL on Hawaiian. After 2 airborn emergencies over Sydney, on the 3rd attempt the landing gear wouldn't go up. We flew low and low from Sydney to Pago Pago (below 10,000 and 250 knots with gear down) and stayed there for 3 days until another aircraft could deliver a part!

    Many months later I ran into the Captain or First Officer at LAX who recognized me as I flew in the cockpit for the FAA. While every passenger complained to Hawaiian Airlines, my report to the FAA commended the pilots for putting the safety of passengers before the complaints of those passengers about the delay. Thank God for crews today that still do that same thing.

  18. Nolan Guest

    Apparently United also arranged a tour bus of the island for those interested while they wait. Sounds like a job well done

  19. D King Guest

    It's unfortunate this happened, but the safety of the passengers and crew are the number one priority. Under the circumstances, I think United did a great job. I'm sure they were compensated in some way, but I wonder what the passengers did for those 22 hours???

  20. Quint Thomalson Guest

    Go back to four engines. Better to be burning 3 than leaning on 1. How long for rescue ships to arrive if you end up going swimming? Nobody their except Mr. Jaws. Gotchaaaaa!

    1. Rwspas Guest

      They will never go back to four (of three) engines. They never should have gone to two on such long haul flights and it is now impossible to ever go back. Hundreds of passengers lives will be an acceptable cost for the economics of twin engine ETOP’s operations.

  21. JB Guest

    The +1 on the flight tracker arrival time means +1 year in this case ;)

  22. Syd Guest

    United just keeps doing a great job at these, over and over.

    1. crosscourt Guest

      not sure that's something to be proud of. i'd rather it not be happening "over and over" again.

  23. Skip Wood Guest

    Sad that the author of the article chose to discuss convenience over safety. Every one of the passengers & crew certainly were thinking & acting with their safety in mind. UAL did a great job saving everyone. Bravo Zulu.

  24. Peter Peter Guest

    Happy Happy in Pago Pago with UA UA !

  25. Nikojas Guest

    So they miss midnight on NYE!

  26. Mike C Diamond

    A case of an airline handling a situation well, if not entirely to the satisfaction of the passengers, amid so many cases that were not!

    1. Mike C Diamond

      And UA probably has 'gasp' interline agreements that allowed it to get the pax from the cancelled IAH flight to the US expeditiously.

  27. Steven E Guest

    Not much fun in that but at least it was all done safely and expeditiously by the sound of it

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

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Nolan Guest

Apparently United also arranged a tour bus of the island for those interested while they wait. Sounds like a job well done

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Mark D Guest

As a retired United pilot, I can tell you unequivocally that the divert destination decision had precisely nothing to do with Pago-Pago being a U.S. territory. The captain makes the final decision on this, and that factor wouldn't even be on the list of things to consider.

8
S Gold

Difference between UA (and the rest of the Big 3) and the smaller airlines on full display. Not even 24 hours and already on your way after getting stuck in as remote a place as you could think of. And I also read on Flyertalk that someone on the flight said they got tour buses and hotels to explore the island and stay. Job well done! Meanwhile WN can't handle a BWI to FLL flight.

5
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