A United Airlines flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles diverted to Brisbane today after declaring an emergency mid-flight. The Boeing 787-9 ‘Dreamliner,’ operating United Airlines flight UA99, departed Melbourne on schedule but was forced to turn back just under three hours into its journey.
A United Airlines spokesperson informed Simple Flying, “On April 11th, United flight 99 from Melbourne to Los Angeles diverted to Brisbane to address a medical issue with a passenger. We have rebooked customers on a later flight and are providing hotel accommodation and meal vouchers.”
The aircraft remains grounded in Brisbane, with concerns about crew hours potentially affecting its continued journey. Flightradar24 data shows that the diversion occurred southwest of New Caledonia, with the flight issuing the 7700 emergency squawk code, which requires immediate assistance. Social media users suggested a medical emergency as the reason for the diversion.
This is not the first diversion for the UA99 service. In March 2019, the flight diverted to Nouméa La Tontouta International Airport in New Caledonia, following smoke in the aircraft’s cockpit. Emergency personnel assisted passengers and crew upon landing, and no injuries were reported.
The Boeing 787-9 ‘Dreamliner’ involved, registered as N29989, took its first flight on November 11, 2024, and was delivered on December 3, 2024. It has a passenger capacity of 257 spread across multiple classes.
Both San Francisco International (SFO) and Los Angeles International (LAX) serve as major hubs for United Airlines on the U.S. West Coast.
