baser1000

I'm hoping some of you can help me figure out what's going on with my flight, and it if will be cancelled or severely delayed.

I'm scheduled to depart LAX for LHR today, April 27, at 5:45pm on UA 923. At this point (10 hours pre-departure) everything shows on-time.

The United app shows that my aircraft was coming from Sydney, but it never made it out of LAX to Sydney, as originally scheduled.

It appears that last night, the aircraft took off from LAX to SYD and returned hours later due to an aircraft issue. It's still sitting at LAX with a new estimated departure to SYD of 8:30am this morning (indicating a 10 hour, 5 minute delay due to aircraft maintenance.)

What's the best prediction of what will happen to my flight from LAX-LHR this evening, and is there any place to look to try to predict what may happen? Being that this is a long-haul international flight, will UA simply swap out my aircraft at LAX and take off on time? Will it be the same type of aircraft? Should I try to take any proactive steps at this point? I did apply (and get) an upgrade award to BusinessFirst.

Thanks!

zrs70

United Ops works in the background all the time. They may swap aircarft.

If you were originating in Sydney, or another out station, then I would take more steps.

gusd

It looks like the same plane that returned last night is scheduled for UA923 today. So the plane is in LAX.

emcampbe

proactive won't work. It's way too soon.

LAX is still a hub, and with several hours to go, most likely scenario is they find an alternate aircraft to use, and depart on time or close to it. Even if they don't have on in LAX, they could fly one in from SFO.

Thats also the reason its not showing a delay. Happens all the time, in fact, I fly mostly domestic, and am pretty shocked if the assigned aircraft in flight status at 2 days before doesn't change at least 2-3 times prior to departure.

cyclogenesis

Exactly.
And if they are certain they are actually very quick..
I got stuck in Melbourne due to a 787 issue out of LAX.. Mine cancelled a few minutes after LAX-MEL cancelled. There are 787 and other substitute airframes being bough on line etc.. its small but there is a little slack in the system and cancelling a widebody is a big hit to United.

baser1000

Thanks guys! Good to hear all the reassurances.

It does look like the flight from SYD-LAX (what was supposed to be my aircraft) was cancelled..obviously because the aircraft still hasn't made it there from LAX.

I live in SF but I booked my LHR flight to originate from LAX, so I have a separate PNR from SFO-LAX later this morning...so if there was a lengthy delay, I wouldn't even be able to wait it out at home.

runner450

839-26 will operate ~9 hours late and has #3952 has been assigned. Your plane remains #3953 that flight returned yesterday, assuming they get the issue worked out

Hipplewm

If you have the mobile app, you can see the tail ID assigned to your flight, then use a variety of tools on the google machine to determine where that airframe, was/is or flew from etc.

The amount of free data is staggering and you can trace airframes all over the world

baser1000

Hey thanks! Now that you point that out, I do see the tail ID...that's nice to know!

runner450

Hipplewm

Also, if something like this happens, watch that number, it may change 4-5 times as operations continues to update and work around IRROPS

gusd

Can we get a link, or is this something internal?

runner450

not public, sorry!

Kacee

If LAX-LHR cancels, they should rebook you on another airline (especially as a 1K). Lots of options to LHR ex-LAX.

gusd

Yeah, that's what I thought. Thanks for sharing the information, though.