close
close

United Airlines diverts four flights to Tokyo after volcanic eruption in Russia

United Airlines diverts four flights to Tokyo after volcanic eruption in Russia

Summary

  • Due to a volcanic eruption near Russia, four United flights were diverted to Tokyo.
  • Volcanic ash can cause engine failure, causing concern among pilots.
  • United has scheduled additional flights to accommodate stranded passengers.



Four United Airlines Flights to Tokyo were diverted on Saturday due to the eruption of the Shiveluch volcano near the Kamchatka region of Russia. After the diversion, two flights eventually reached their final destination, while the other two were cancelled.

United has reportedly scheduled additional flights for Sunday to accommodate the relocated passengers. Volcanic ash can pose a danger to commercial aircraft, as the powdery rock sediment can cause engines to shut down mid-flight.


From Newark, Washington DC and Denver

According to aviation regulator JonNYC, four of United’s 10 daily flights to Tokyo were diverted due to the volcanic activity. The affected flights departed from the airline’s hubs in Newark, Washington DC and Denver:

  • UA143 from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Narita Airport (NRT)
  • UA803 from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Haneda Airport (HND)
  • UA79 from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to NRT
  • UA131 from EWR to HND


Flight details

UA143 was operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. According to FlightAware, the flight departed DEN at 12:17 p.m. and flew for nearly six hours before changing course. The plane was traveling west at 39,000 feet over the southern tip of Alaska about five hours and 42 minutes into its journey when it turned around. It diverted to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and landed nearly six and a half hours later at 10:49 p.m.

UA143 Diversion FR24, 17 August 2024.

Photo: Flightradar24


UA803 departed IAD on time at 12:23 p.m. The flight, operated by a 777-200ER, was heading northwest over Canada approximately five hours and 25 minutes after takeoff when it turned around. The aircraft diverted to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and landed at 6:30 p.m., approximately five and a half hours after the course change. UA79, operated by another 787-9, departed EWR at 11:38 a.m. The aircraft was over Alaska approximately six hours after takeoff when it began to descend from its cruising altitude of 36,000 feet. It landed at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) at 2:32 p.m., nearly seven hours after takeoff from EWR.

A Boeing 777-200 of United Airlines flies in the sky.

Photo: Edoardo B | Shutterstock

UA131 was also diverted to ANC. The 777-200ER operating the flight departed EWR at 10:25 a.m. and began descending from 32,000 feet approximately six hours later while flying over southern Alaska. It entered a brief holding pattern before eventually resuming its descent. The flight landed at ANC at 1:42 p.m., just over seven hours after departing EWR.


Listen

5 reasons why United Airlines’ Polaris Business Class is so highly valued

Access to an exclusive lounge and premium bedding on board are just some of them.

UA79 and UA803 continued their journey to their destinations after refueling on the ground, according to JonNYC. The former departed ANC at 3:44 p.m. – over an hour after landing – and continued the journey to NRT. After eight and a half hours, the flight arrived at 5:08 p.m. on Sunday. UA803 departed SFO over three hours after landing. The flight departed at 9:54 p.m. and landed in HND 10 hours later, at 11:55 p.m. on Sunday.

“We are working on rebooking passengers”

UA143 and UA131 were subsequently cancelled. United informed Simple Flying on Sunday that it was working to rebook the affected passengers.

“Four flights en route to Tokyo were diverted to other airports because a volcanic eruption affected their flight routes. We are working to rebook passengers who were unable to reach their final destination.”


Boeing 787-9 of United Airlines on final approach

Photo: Kevin Hackert | Shutterstock

According to CBS News, the Shiveluch volcano erupted early Sunday after a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific Ocean about 63 miles away. The volcano spewed ash as high as 16,000 feet and briefly triggered a “Code Red” warning for aircraft, indicating significant ash release into the atmosphere, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Read more

How pilots deal with volcanic ash

One of the most dangerous hazards an aircraft can face.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *