A United Airlines flight narrowly avoided what could've been an awful tragedy. Per New York Post, at the Chicago O'Hare International Airport, a plane's engine suddenly erupted in flames. Smoke started coming out of one of the plane's wings, which you can see down below.
Terrifying moment United Airlines plane catches fire before takeoff at Chicago's O'Hare airport pic.twitter.com/Ou7re7tLBF
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) May 28, 2024
The plane was set to fly to Seattle when its engine burst into flames, forcing 148 passengers and five crew members to evacuate, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and United Airlines itself. The above footage was captured by a passenger inside the plane, showing the smoke as the aircraft drove on the tarmac.
The passenger, Ivan Paloalto, said he heard an explosion as the plane came close to takeoff. "I felt the impact on my window. As I looked, the engine was on fire and smoke was coming out," he said. The FAA temporarily stopped arrivals into the Chicago airport on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year until regular operations started again about an hour later.
According to United Airlines, there were no injuries reported, and the engine issue was "immediately addressed" by first responders. "We are working to make alternative travel arrangements for customers," the airline stated.
United Airlines Plane Catches Fire Before Takeoff Amid A String Of Recent Air Travel Issues
The plane-related chaos doesn't end there. Though United Airlines had its own Memorial Day issues, CNN reported earlier today that a Spirit Airlines flight from Jamaica to Florida became a scene of panic and confusion. Passengers were told to prepare for a potential water landing after the aircraft turned around due to an apparent mechanical problem.
While the Airbus plane reversed course and safely returned to Montego Bay, Jamaica, the incident highlighted one in a series of flight-related mishaps recorded during a record-breaking holiday weekend for airline travel. The Transportation Security Administration announced it set a new record for most travelers screened in a single day last Friday.
BREAKING NEWS: TSA Officers have set a new record for most travelers screened in a single day! On Friday, May 24, 2,951,163 individuals were screened at checkpoints nationwide, surpassing the previous record on Nov. 26, 2023. We recommend arriving early. Have travel questions?… pic.twitter.com/lyBgTEPLHZ
— TSA (@TSA) May 25, 2024
I wouldn't necessarily say a person should avoid flying for the foreseeable future. But I would caution against taking flights during extremely busy times of the year. It seems the most plane-related difficulties occur around those periods. People are going to do what they want, though. I'm merely here to point out certain patterns!
