URGENT! United Grounds Boeing 777s for Inspection

[JJPNYC]

This will cause some serious disruptions over the next few days and I'm feeling that the ripple affect will touch all parts of United's operations.

 

April 2, 9:30am ET

Dear JoeSentMe member:

I'm writing with news of another large, inspection-related grounding, this time by United Airlines.

The airline has pulled its 52-aircraft fleet of Boeing 777s for what it says is a check of a part of the fire-suppression system. United says the "system is regularly tested as part of the pre-flight safety checks," yet admits "the functional test" was not performed.

The airline has not said how many delays and cancellations will be created by the situation. According to FlightStats.com, however, there have already been 38 cancellations today on United's mainline service. The airline has 1,538 scheduled mainline flights today. The Boeing 777 is primarily used on United's international flights, although it does operate on some some domestic routes. The loss of the aircraft is sure to cause disruption at United's Chicago/O'Hare and Washington/Dulles hubs, but the travelers most likely to be seriously inconvenienced are in United's international destinations served by the Boeing 777.

The grounding came without advance notice. United announced the situation this morning. And the airline DID post a link to a notice on the United.com home page. That's more than either American or Delta did in the early hours of their inspection-related groundings last week.

I don't know how or if United is contacting travelers who are booked on Boeing 777 flights today. Check your itinerary carefully if you are booked on United in the next few days. (And could you please let me know how or if United is alerting you if you're on an affected flight.)

You should also expect this situation to cause disruptions for a few days. Since the Boeing 777s ply some of United's longer routes and international service, it may take United several days to get these aircraft back in position. The airline simply does not have available, appropriate aircraft to substitute for the grounded Boeing 777s.

I'll alert you as more useful information becomes available and I hear back from my sources at United Airlines.

Joe Brancatelli // joesentme.com

[FlyerTalker]

I have nothing specific to add to the above -- however, if you are on an affected UA 777, look for a reroute onto a partner airline, especially for international flights. Lufthansa, SAS, BMI, and Swiss (and others) are all partners through the Star Alliance. Within the USA, look to USAirways flights.

 

You can do reference on Star Alliance flights through the Star Website.

[chipmaster]

For some more info:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/04/02/united.777s.ap/index.html

 

http://us.ft.com/ftgateway/superpage.ft?news_id=fto040220081125306781&referrer_id=yahoofinance

 

Give the recent inspecting and compliance issues I expect more of the same as all carriers dive deeper into their inspection compliance.

 

Another reason to insure direct flights and arriving a day or two early to your destination for cruises. I can't imagine what Heathrow is looking like with the BA baggage mess and 7/11 UALs 777s grounded there that is a lot of people that will need direction.

[scottbee]

I have nothing specific to add to the above -- however, if you are on an affected UA 777, look for a reroute onto a partner airline, especially for international flights. Lufthansa, SAS, BMI, and Swiss (and others) are all partners through the Star Alliance. Within the USA, look to USAirways flights.

 

If you're stuck at a European airport, it's more likely you'll end up on an Air Canada re-routing as AC have a more significant trans-atlantic operation than most of the *A carriers listed above, and certainly serve more US destinations than any of the above.

[Globaliser]

United says the "system is regularly tested as part of the pre-flight safety checks," yet admits "the functional test" was not performed.

Isn't this misleading statement just typical of Brancatelli?

 

If you read what United actually said, it's quite clear that the missed test is one performed at intervals as part of maintenance, and different from the routine pre-flight safety checks that are done before every flight. Yet, typically, the airline is made to sound like it's being disingenuous when it's actually just trying to be candid about what was and wasn't done.

 

I suppose an alternative explanation could be that Brancatelli is thick and can't read.

[sho]

Has this got anything to do with the recent crash of a British Airways' 777 aircraft on landing at Heathrow airport? The verdict for that crash seemed to be related to sudden power failure of the aircraft.

If there are concerns regarding the safety of Boeing 777, it is certainly sensible to have extra checks.

[Globaliser]

Has this got anything to do with the recent crash of a British Airways' 777 aircraft on landing at Heathrow airport? The verdict for that crash seemed to be related to sudden power failure of the aircraft.

There's almost certainly absolutely no connection at all.

 

The cause of the Heathrow accident isn't known yet. What is known is that both engines failed to respond to demands for more power. But there have been no findings about what caused that or the accident.

 

The United Airlines checks also almost certainly have no connection to the other recent high-profile 777 incident, in which one engine of an American Airlines aircraft also failed to respond to demands for more power. The cause of that incident is better understood, and seems to be related to simple inadvertent blocking of the movement of one throttle by a crew member.

[odblnt]

Argh!!! At least we are on the flight NEXT week. I did look at United's web site and the flight we are supposed to be on next week was canceled today.

 

Crossing fingers like mad!!!!

[FlyerTalker]

Crossing fingers like mad!!!!

Don't cross your fingers.....DO SOMETHING proactive.

 

Have you done any research on alternatives? Found what flights might work for you and still have available space? Printed out a listing of alternatives, so that if you are still "grounded" come next week, you KNOW what you can try for, rather than just wait for the good graces of a UA agent who may or may not know of what you found?

 

There are plenty of research tools available on the web. Use them.

[odblnt]

Yes, but our tickets are category XY (frequent flyer award) and even when they changed the flight times for our return and had to rebook, they only did it to other XY seats. (They did give us some money (vouchers) for the inconvenience, though.)

[Globaliser]

At least we are on the flight NEXT week.

You should be fine. These tests shouldn't take that long to do: I've read estimates of 24 to 36 hours to do the whole fleet.