UA363 EWR-HNL Diverted to SFO March 29, 2024
Mar 30, 2024 | 12:44 pm
#1
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UA363 EWR-HNL Diverted to SFO March 29, 2024
EWR-HNL was diverted yesterday to SFO. Looks like it was over northern CA and then turned back a bit to land at SFO. Anyone on that flight or know the reason? UA app shows it was scheduled to continue on from SFO to HNL but that part was cancelled.
Mar 30, 2024 | 1:00 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2002
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In any event, are we going to get a separate thread for every flight interruption?
Last edited by malgudi; Mar 30, 2024 at 1:08 pm
Mar 30, 2024 | 1:09 pm
#3
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The decision to divert actually took place long before the aircraft reached CA. The flight tracking showed a sharp southernly turn while flying over Montana.
Looks like the aircraft had some kind of mechanical issues. Required more time to fix, and it is now being ferried to IAD (from SFO). 764 is not a normal aircraft seen at SFO, so getting another one would be tough, am guessing the reason for the cancellation of the SFO-HNL leg, and affected pax would be re-accommodated with other available flights to HNL.
Ps. EWR<->HNL are performing some of its last flights...
Last edited by Repooc17; Mar 30, 2024 at 1:15 pm
Mar 30, 2024 | 3:09 pm
#4
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The usual routing is over Northern MT, from where it started to head to SFO (ie: it wasn't over Northern CA when they decided to divert).
In any event, are we going to get a separate thread for every flight interruption?
In any event, are we going to get a separate thread for every flight interruption?
Mar 30, 2024 | 3:11 pm
#5
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Mar 30, 2024 | 3:33 pm
#6
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I'm on that flight in exactly two weeks - hope it's back to normal...
Mar 30, 2024 | 3:58 pm
#7
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I think that is just a change for the summer, right? I booked HNL-EWR in December as the last leg of my Island Hopper jaunt
I did see this diversion as the bird was originally going to be used for todays HNL-EWR (which I will also be on). At least it was well in advance where the schedule makers could source another plane.
I did see this diversion as the bird was originally going to be used for todays HNL-EWR (which I will also be on). At least it was well in advance where the schedule makers could source another plane.
Mar 30, 2024 | 4:14 pm
#8
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Mar 30, 2024 | 5:20 pm
#10
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Not necessarily. The route varies. It could have been heading southwest from Montana toward the California coast. The flight path shows it turn back toward the northwest toward SFO. And if there were a mechanical problem over Montana, why didn't they land sooner? SEA, PDX, BOI, SLC, even DEN are all closer than SFO.
The reason for the SFO diversion over other (closer) airports is easy...UA has determined aircraft can continue for a bit, and SFO offers more resources and easier logistics.
Mar 30, 2024 | 5:26 pm
#11
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Under normal circumstance, route planning would never take the northern track over Montana and then take a such sharp southwest turn to California before heading to Hawaii, that is much longer than staying close to the northern border and slowly dip southwest.
The reason for the SFO diversion over other (closer) airports is easy...UA has determined aircraft can continue for a bit, and SFO offers more resources and easier logistics.
The reason for the SFO diversion over other (closer) airports is easy...UA has determined aircraft can continue for a bit, and SFO offers more resources and easier logistics.
Mar 30, 2024 | 5:33 pm
#12
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Given the weather in the California area this weekend, going around the area would be would be a more normal choice. The bumps and jags as the plane approached SFO were likely weather related.
Mar 30, 2024 | 5:51 pm
#13
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There have been some very strong westerly winds aloft recently. Deviations from the most direct route are often due to the winds.
The threshold for continuing a flight is significantly higher for crossing oceans (ETOPS) than it is over land. Many of the deferable maintenance items prohibit ETOPS flights. If one of those items failed enroute, a diversion would be made prior to entering oceanic airspace but the choice of the domestic diversion point would be flexible. For example, ETOPS operation on the 737 requires an operable APU while non-ETOPS flights can be dispatched without one.
The threshold for continuing a flight is significantly higher for crossing oceans (ETOPS) than it is over land. Many of the deferable maintenance items prohibit ETOPS flights. If one of those items failed enroute, a diversion would be made prior to entering oceanic airspace but the choice of the domestic diversion point would be flexible. For example, ETOPS operation on the 737 requires an operable APU while non-ETOPS flights can be dispatched without one.
Mar 30, 2024 | 6:37 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 69
I also think that, given the thousands of flights operated each day by UA and the current tendency to post each UA mx issue, the lack of more threads serves as confirmation that UA is doing very well in terms of overall reliability.
Remember, Delta recently had a wheel come off of a plane (757 in ATL) and a panel come loose inflight (an A330 SLC-AMS, requiring an air return), yet no media coverage or FAA scrutiny.
Last edited by PA815; Mar 30, 2024 at 6:47 pm