A United Airlines Boeing 737-700 was diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport on April 3 due to smoke detected in the cabin. The plane was flying from Key West International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport when smoke from a galley oven prompted the diversion. The aircraft carried 98 passengers and five crew members, who all deplaned safely upon landing.
The diversion was a necessary response to ensure passenger safety. After landing, passengers were accommodated on another Boeing 737 to reach their final destination, albeit with a delay of more than five hours.
This flight, United UA1513, was originally scheduled to depart Key West at 14:03 and arrive in Newark by 17:15. On this occasion, it left at 14:31 but was unable to complete the planned route. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-700, with the registration N13718. It is noted to be over 26 years old, delivered to United Airlines in January 1999, and is capable of seating 126 passengers.
This incident is part of a series of recent reports involving cabin smoke or haze in aircraft across various airlines, including a Delta Air Lines flight in February and a Hawaiian Airlines flight in December.
In other developments, United Airlines announced new flights between San Francisco International and Adelaide Airport starting December 11, operating three times weekly. United aims to increase its flights from San Francisco by 20% in 2025 as part of a strategic plan to strengthen its position as a global gateway. United CEO, Scott Kirby, stated, “We’re winning more and more Bay Area customers because of our investments in the product, the experience and the places we fly. Our growth in SFO is a direct result of United’s ambitious network strategy, which has set us apart from the competition and cemented our status as the world’s largest airline.”
