Four United Airlines flights headed to Tokyo were diverted on Saturday due to the eruption of the Shiveluch volcano near Kamchatka Krai, Russia. After diverting, two flights eventually made it to their final destinations, while the other two were canceled.
United reportedly scheduled additional flights on Sunday to accommodate the displaced passengers. Volcanic ash can be a hazard for commercial aircraft as the powdered rock sediment can prompt engines to shut down midflight.
From Newark, Washington DC, & Denver
Four of United’s 10 daily Tokyo flights were rerouted due to the volcanic activity, according to aviation watchdog JonNYC. The affected flights originated from the carrier’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 from DEN at 12:17 and flew for nearly six hours before changing course. The aircraft was headed west at 39,000 feet above the southern tip of Alaska around five hours and 42 minutes into its journey when it turned around. It diverted to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), landing nearly six and a half hours later at 22:49.
UA803 departed from IAD on time at 12:23. The flight, operated by a 777-200ER, was headed northwest over Canada about five hours and 25 minutes into the flight when it turned back. The aircraft diverted to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and landed at 18:30, about five and a half hours after changing course. UA79, operated by another 787-9, departed from EWR at 11:38. The aircraft was over Alaska about six hours into its journey when it began to descend from its cruising altitude of 36,000 feet. It landed at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) at 14:32, nearly seven hours after taking off from EWR.
UA131 also diverted to ANC. The 777-200ER operating the flight departed from EWR at 10:25 and began to descend from 32,000 feet about six hours later as it was flying over Southern Alaska. It entered a brief holding pattern before eventually continuing its descent. The flight landed at ANC at 13:42, just over seven hours after leaving EWR.
UA79 and UA803 continued to their destinations after spending time on the ground to refuel, according to JonNYC. The former departed ANC at 15:44 – over an hour after it landed – and completed the journey to NRT. After eight and a half hours, the flight arrived at 17:08 on Sunday. UA803 departed over three hours after it landed at SFO. The flight left at 21:54 and landed at HND 10 hours later, at 23:55 on Sunday.
“We’re working to rebook passengers”
UA143 and UA131 were subsequently canceled. United told Simple Flying on Sunday that it has been working to rebook the affected passengers.
“Four flights en route to Tokyo diverted to other airports due to volcanic eruption affecting their flight paths. We’re working to rebook passengers who were unable to make it to their final destination.”
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, which signifies a significant emission of ash into the atmosphere, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.