What Is Going on at United Airlines?
It’s been a tough week for United Airlines. Starting as Varney Airlines in Idaho nearly 100 years ago, United has experienced the expected foibles of an American air carrier. However, last week, the major airline had four news-worthy incidents, from falling tires to an airplane rolling off a runway.
United Airlines had four news-worthy incidents in one week
On March 4th, at around 7:00 PM, United Airlines Flight 1118 reported an engine issue. While that isn’t an entirely unheard of situation, a dramatic passenger video of the event snagged national attention. The video shows a plume of flame following the port-side engine of the Boeing 737-900.
According to NBC News, the fiery display was likely a compressor stall. The issue occurs with airflow disruption to the engine, which can result in a backfire. Fortunately, a compressor stall isn’t a catastrophic event, although it certainly warrants an emergency landing. Such was the case for flight 1118; the airplane returned to George H. Bush Intercontinental Airport around 20 minutes later.
Later in the same week, United Airlines Flight 35 dropped a tire from one of its rear landing gear arrays. While the Boeing 777-200 has six tires on each main landing gear assembly and two up front, the incident prompted a redirect to land at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). What’s more, the falling tire caused severe damage to several cars on the ground.
Beyond Flight 35, United Airlines Flight 821 diverted from its original flight plan on March 8th due to a reported hydraulic malfunction. Flight 821, an Airbus A320, took off from San Francisco with the intent of landing in Mexico City. However, the aircraft and its 105 passengers landed at LAX after reporting an issue with one of the aircraft’s three hydraulic systems.
Finally, United Airlines Flight 2477, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, completed its journey from Memphis, Tennessee, on March 8th. However, shortly after touching down on a runway at George H. Bush Intercontinental Airport, Flight 2477 rolled off the tarmac and into the grass.
Of the many incidents, three were Boeing airframes. However, there doesn’t seem to be a direct connection between the diverse incidents. Fortunately, despite damage and notoriety, there were no fatalities in the airline’s mishaps.
