United Airlines flight canceled after 12-hour delay and multiple issues

Passengers on a United Airlines flight from Washington to Rome endured nearly 12 hours of delays before the flight was ultimately canceled early Saturday morning. Flight UA884, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER, faced a series of issues including a cockpit fault, thunderstorm delays, a crew duty timeout, and a door that wouldn't seal properly. The final blow came when a pushback tug malfunctioned, forcing the aircraft back to the gate for inspection.

The flight was originally scheduled to depart Washington Dulles International Airport at 5:35 PM on Friday, October 2. Boarding began around 4:30 PM, but technical problems and storms delayed the takeoff. Passengers were given the option to leave the aircraft when it returned to the gate to refuel, and catering had to be replaced due to delays. Around six hours into the delay, the crew reached its duty-time limit, forcing everyone off the plane to wait for a replacement crew.

After passengers reboarded, another issue arose when a door wasn't sealing correctly, requiring maintenance checks. Just as the plane began to push back, a loud bang occurred when a tug band snapped, striking the aircraft. The flight was canceled at 4:00 AM on Saturday, nearly 12 hours after boarding began. Passengers were rebooked on a new flight the next day, with one traveler, Rebecca Bliden, reporting she received only a $175 voucher for the ordeal.

United Airlines stated that the cancellation was due to crew duty limits rather than the tug incident. The aircraft involved, N798UA, was cleared to fly after inspection and reassigned to a different route. Bliden expressed dissatisfaction with the $175 voucher and is pursuing a full refund from the airline.