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UA871 (SFO-TPE) 20 July 2023 Diverts Due To Unruly Passenger

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UA871 (SFO-TPE) 20 July 2023 Diverts Due To Unruly Passenger

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Old Jul 20, 2023, 9:24 pm
  #1  
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UA871 (SFO-TPE) 20 July 2023 Diverts Due To Unruly Passenger

Anyone on it from FT?

https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/...e=facebook.com

A United Airlines flight headed to Taipei was diverted back to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Thursday evening, the airport confirmed to KRON4. The flight was diverted back to SFO due to an “unruly passenger.”

Flight 871 left SFO around 2:54 p.m., flew approximately two hours toward the Taiwan capital and flew two hours back towards SFO, according to FlightAware. The United Airlines plane landed back at SFO around 7 p.m.
​​​​​​​Can't believe it was a TPE flight...
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Old Jul 20, 2023, 9:57 pm
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Yes… I was/am? Onboard

I’ll add more as things progress over the next few days. But the crew was stellar
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Old Jul 20, 2023, 10:06 pm
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I was in Polaris. The guy was in coach. He kept coming up to Polaris during the initial drink service. Flight attendant told him to return to his seat. He walked back but then a few moments later, he's back up in the Business cabin. He appeared to be under the influence of something. Then the puraer told the entire cabin to return to their seats. He didn't comply. Then restrained him & returned to SFO. We are now waiting for a new crew & the plane to be refreshed.
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Old Jul 20, 2023, 10:11 pm
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Originally Posted by Live4Upgrades
I was in Polaris. The guy was in coach. He kept coming up to Polaris during the initial drink service. Flight attendant told him to return to his seat. He walked back but then a few moments later, he's back up in the Business cabin. He appeared to be under the influence of something. Then the puraer told the entire cabin to return to their seats. He didn't comply. Then restrained him & returned to SFO. We are now waiting for a new crew & the plane to be refreshed.
Come say “hi” if we go out - I’m in 9A

Slight correction - passenger was never restrained. FA asked myself and a few other guys to help with the situation to keep an eye on the guy.

Things calmed down once he got seated - IME, crew made the right decision to return. Just hope we make it out tonight
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Old Jul 20, 2023, 10:16 pm
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Originally Posted by United747
Come say “hi” if we go out - I’m in 9A

Slight correction - passenger was never restrained. FA asked myself and a few other guys to help with the situation to keep an eye on the guy.

Things calmed down once he got seated - IME, crew made the right decision to return. Just hope we make it out tonight
Apologies, the flight attendant told me they restrained. I personally didn't see him. Althou I saw him being walked out
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Old Jul 20, 2023, 10:18 pm
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Originally Posted by Live4Upgrades
Apologies, the flight attendant told me they restrained. I personally didn't see him. Althou I saw him being walked out
Haha, no worries. They had restraints at the ready
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Old Jul 20, 2023, 11:03 pm
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Would’ve expected this to MIA or LAS but not the darling TPE
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Old Jul 20, 2023, 11:23 pm
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Old Jul 20, 2023, 11:53 pm
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Originally Posted by MatthewLAX
Anyone on it from FT?

https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/...e=facebook.com



Can't believe it was a TPE flight...
​​​​​​​why not divert to HNL? That would have delayed the pax much less
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Old Jul 21, 2023, 12:00 am
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Originally Posted by Unitedloyalflyer
why not divert to HNL? That would have delayed the pax much less
We were 2 hours in flight. Remember HNL is no longer a crew base for neither Pilots nor Flight Attendants. I actually would have preferred there as I'm from Hawaii. It's 11pm here in SFO and we are still on the ground.

Last edited by Live4Upgrades; Jul 21, 2023 at 12:06 am
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Old Jul 21, 2023, 12:04 am
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Originally Posted by Unitedloyalflyer
why not divert to HNL? That would have delayed the pax much less
They can recrew and operate with a 7 hour delay by returning to SFO vs 24 hour+ if diverting to HNL as they would need to deadhead a crew in and then let them get rest before proceeding onwards to TPE.
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Old Jul 21, 2023, 12:04 am
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Originally Posted by United747
Come say “hi” if we go out - I’m in 9A

Slight correction - passenger was never restrained. FA asked myself and a few other guys to help with the situation to keep an eye on the guy.

Things calmed down once he got seated - IME, crew made the right decision to return. Just hope we make it out tonight
Yes, I went to say hey to United747.
And they just closed the cabin doors so I guess we are about to push back!
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Old Jul 21, 2023, 12:38 am
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Originally Posted by Live4Upgrades
We were 2 hours in flight. Remember HNL is no longer a crew base for neither Pilots nor Flight Attendants. I actually would have preferred there as I'm from Hawaii. It's 11pm here in SFO and we are still on the ground.
when did HNL cease to be a crew base?
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Old Jul 21, 2023, 12:39 am
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by Unitedloyalflyer
when did HNL cease to be a crew base?
Oops did I misspeak again? It's been a very long day. And we are still on the ground.
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Last edited by Live4Upgrades; Jul 21, 2023 at 12:47 am
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Old Jul 21, 2023, 4:32 am
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People can become "unruly" for a variety of reasons including side effects of prescription medication or mental disease. Aside from battery, assault, or grandstanding, I tend to think of these cases as medical emergencies undeserving of shame (or jail).
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Last edited by l etoile; Jul 21, 2023 at 6:49 am Reason: Removed now-deleted quote
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