A flyer on a United Airlines plane just thought he would be going to Nicaragua and instead found himself in Japan when he woke up. The man’s trip from Los Angeles to Managua was supposed to be a pretty basic journey, with one stop-off, but somehow it turned into a multi-hour flight across the Pacific ocean.
Initially, everything appeared to be going according to schedule for the man on the flight. He was able to board, take his seat, and have a normal departure from the Los Angeles International Airport.
Approximately six hours have passed since he left Los Angeles and he began to wonder if there might be some sort of mix-up along the way because the flight from Los Angeles to Houston was only going to take him about three hours, not six hours.
He was confused as to where he was and what time of day it was. The plane was not traveling to Houston but it was on its way to Tokyo, Japan.
Eventually, the plane landed at Haneda Airport in Tokyo and was not able to be turned back to go to Houston to continue on to Managua as this would be impossible to do in mid-air.
United Airlines indicated an extensive investigation was being conducted into this error alongside the appropriate airport authorities and they will re-evaluate their processes, procedures and communications.
On a public statement made by a representative of United Airlines, the company mentioned that they reached out to the customer directly and sent an apology with travel compensation and reimbursement. The reported value of compensation originally was approximately $300 USD but ultimately increased to $1,000.
Not typically part of a vacation upgrade that most people foresee, yet having an unplanned trip to Japan is an unusual way to add excitement.
The story about the customer made its way onto the website “Reddit” where numerous user comments tried to determine how such an event could occur. Some suggested that the proximity of two other departure gates may have caused confusion while others focused on how important it is to verify boarding announcements and destination displays before boarding.
One commentor humorously stated that they would have had a clear indication that something was amiss if after six hours of being airborne they still had not reached their final destination of Houston!
Another user replied with a lighthearted tone that if they were to end up in Japan without planning on it, they would not mind.
While humour had been expressed in many of the comments made, the incident also highlights an obvious but yet still very important principle: due to the high volume of people passing through airport terminals, overlapping boarding announcements and long travel times; it is very easy to overlook things that could have been achieved simply through a quick glance at a boarding screen or by confirming information with an airport agent at the gate to create the difference.
As a result of the flight being delayed, the traveller was stuck in Tokyo for two nights, on the return trip by the airline and unable to travel as originally planned. And although this isn’t what was planned in the first place, it makes up for a great story you will tell for the rest of your life!
So the next time you fly, take a moment to verify your travel plans and make sure they are correct with the airline prior to leaving the airport! I hope you do not end up with an unexpected trip to East Asia instead of Mexico!
