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.
Continue reading: United Airlines Boeing 787 Diverts To Remote Pago Pago
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Not much fun in that but at least it was all done safely and expeditiously by the sound of it
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!
And UA probably has 'gasp' interline agreements that allowed it to get the pax from the cancelled IAH flight to the US expeditiously.
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.
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!
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???
Apparently United also arranged a tour bus of the island for those interested while they wait. Sounds like a job well done
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.
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.
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.
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.
Is this really news? Or is it just another sad attempt by a ground pounder to slight Boeing?
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...
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.
Another instance where this route should be flown with 4 engine aircraft. But 747 and 340 and 380 are no more.
not sure that's something to be proud of. i'd rather it not be happening "over and over" again.
Yep, airlines are still flying all three 747, 340, 380. Just you can't buy them new.
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!¡!!<
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.
Why are you stating that as if Boeing somehow needs help revealing how shitty of an operation/producer it's devolved into?
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.
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.
I'd be interested to know how United will get repairs done to the original aircraft and return it to service.
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?
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.
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 .
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!
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.
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!
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.
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?