Originally Posted by
rickscholz
I'm sitting at the gate for UA 1139 ORD-PHX. This morning it was nonstop. When I went to the gate a few hours ago, the gate monitor said the flight was going to Denver, so I asked, and they said the plane had a "fuel stop" in Denver. The flight status was showing it as a flight ORD-DEN, and DEN-PHX.
Now the flight is showing the flight as "Diverted" to DEN. Gate agents are as confused as we are... one of them said she's been here 15 years, and never seen a flight diverted before it left the ground with no reason given.
Have you ever seen a flight "Diverted" before it left the ground... especially a domestic flight?
Yep, seen it many times. Can be for various reasons. Could be the plane may have a mtnce issue that makes it fly lower or slower, requiring a fuel stop enroute. Or it could be a crew timing out for the day by the time they get to Denver, so they have a new crew ready to go there. If it's just a fuel stop, won't add that much time. A crew swap is a little longer, but still probably about an hour.
AD