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Home » United Airlines » United Airlines Flight Delayed After Cleveland Browns “Trash” Plane (Update)
United Airlines

United Airlines Flight Delayed After Cleveland Browns “Trash” Plane (Update)

Matthew Klint Posted onAugust 4, 2023November 13, 2023 78 Comments

a football stadium with people in the stands

UPDATE: United Airlines reached out to Live And Let’s Fly concerning the Cleveland Browns charter and strongly refuted the assertion that the NFL team trashed the Boeing 757-300.

On Sunday, United flight 1893 took a brief delay after our cleaning crew got a late start servicing the aircraft. The aircraft did not require any cleaning beyond our standard practices, and we refute the speculation that any of our customers were the cause of the delay. We started the boarding process immediately after the cleaning service ended and the flight arrived in San Francisco just 14 minutes behind schedule. 

I suspect someone at the Cleveland Browns did not like this story.

However, I asked United if it disputes that both a gate agent at Washington Dulles and pilot claimed the aircraft was “trashed” and received no reply.

The original story is below.


United Airlines passengers in Washington Dulles encountered a flight delay on their San Francisco flight, with a gate agent blaming a professional football team in Cleveland for “trashing” the aircraft.

United Airlines Flight Delayed Thanks To Cleveland Browns

As noted on FlyerTalk, UA1893 was delayed out of Washington Dulles (IAD) last night, July 30, 2023. Gate agents blamed the delay on a “trashed” 757-300, further explaining that it had been used as a charter aircraft for a professional sports team.

Using United’s flight tracking software, it was not hard to find out which sports team was involved. The aircraft had come in from Cleveland earlier that day:

a plane flying in the sky

Prior to Cleveland, it had flown from Greenbriar, West Virginia, where the Cleveland Browns have a training camp:

a screenshot of an airplane flying in the sky

Onboard, the pilot apologized “multiple times saying it was the most disgusting he’s seen a plane in his career.” Special menus with the Cleveland Browns logo were found in seatback pockets. It was further explained that the aircraft was full of “garbage, spilled food and drink everywhere, etc.”

United has a busy charter business for professional sports teams (and faced some controversy a few years back when certain sports teams allegedly requested young, white, blonde girls to serve as flight attendants).

There are a few questions, I have though:

  • The flight operated from Cleveland (CLE) to Washington (IAD) as UA2553 – it appears this was an empty leg, but why? Was the charter so last-minute that the aircraft had to wastefully be ferried between a United focus city (and former hub) and a United hub?
  • Why wasn’t the aircraft cleaned in CLE, where it sat for 2.5 hours, or in IAD, where it sat for more than four hours, prior to the IAD-SFO flight?
  • Do sports teams always trash planes?

The flight ultimately took off 36 minutes late, arriving in San Francisco (SFO) 14 minutes late:

a screenshot of an airplane flying in the sky

Charter menus typically look like this:

a hand holding a piece of paper
Flyertalk

CONCLUSION

A United Airlines flight was delayed after the Cleveland Browns trashed it. It does seems there were a couple of missed opportunities to clean the plane which would have avoided a delay, but even so it strikes me as disgusting that a sports team would trash up a commercial airplane to such a degree that a pilot would say it was the worst he had ever seen his entire career.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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78 Comments

  1. Ryan Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 3:51 pm

    It’s not at all uncommon for aircraft operating sports charters to be ferried to the pick-up point and from the drop-off point. I live in SBN. Delta operates all the Notre Dame football charters. We get anything between a 757 and an A350 operating them. They always fly into SBN empty and depart SBN empty. Most often they ferry to/from DTW, but I’ve also seen them ferry to/from ATL and JFK. As an aside, it’s cool to track them and see them fly overhead. They park at the FBO and not our relatively small scheduled terminal, which I doubt could handle anything larger than am A320/737.

    • William Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 12:02 pm

      My personal advice, get rid of that pilot ‍✈️ for disrespecting your team .

      • Hoot Gibson Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 1:35 pm

        Well Let me guess who or what you are, Jock Sniffer?

      • Carla Banks-Williams I Reply
        August 5, 2023 at 8:38 am

        Hear, hear !

  2. Ron Likover Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 3:53 pm

    United does not normally operate a revenue flight fir charter aircraft repositioning. The aircraft arrived CLE charter at 247 and departed for IAD at 322. It landed IAD at 441 revenue flight to SFO scheduled at 839 it had more then a few hours to clean aircraft no excuse for departing late to clean aircraft,,

    • Chris Raehl Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 12:06 am

      It’s totally conceivable that a sufficiently trashed plane might take more than 3 hours to clean (which is the point at which you’d have to announce a potential delay.)

    • Peggy A Gray Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 1:58 pm

      You’re nuts! The point is these are grown men so act like it!! No one should even have to clean up such a mess they can be civil for goodness sake. Where were the coaches?? There would be some suspended players for representing my team in such a way if I was the owner. I then would fine the heck out of them!

  3. rjb Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 3:53 pm

    The flight left IAD 36 minutes lates. thats huge win on United these days. My flight from LGA to ID arrives 4.5 hours late on Friday and the prior week, united never transported me. Flight cancellation after flight cancellation. (the weather was fine)

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      July 31, 2023 at 4:00 pm

      My goodness, it seems like your bad luck never ends on United.

      • SWood Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 11:26 am

        It behoves you to reread Mr G’s offensive statement.

    • 02nz Reply
      July 31, 2023 at 4:25 pm

      “LGA to ID” – did you mean IAD? If so – and I don’t mean to be rude – that’s kind of on you. Anyone with a little bit of travel sense knows not to take the plane for such a short hop in the northeast, given the alternative (Amtrak) and recent operational troubles.

  4. SMR Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 4:12 pm

    At least my Brownies are good at something,

    • Bob Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 11:06 am

      Heh-heh

    • Andy Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 8:57 pm

      Yes, they have done a great job of losing over the past quarter century. Congratulations.

  5. Adam L Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 4:18 pm

    Gate R22B is remote boarding at the private facility near the cargo operation at IAD. I doubt they have cleaning personnel stationed there and likely figured they could refresh the aircraft when it moved to the main concourse. Problem is they obviously underestimated the amount of time needed to properly clean the aircraft.

    Also a fun piece of trivia: out of the 113 gates at IAD, only 8 can accommodate a 757 and 767, even though they make up 14% of UA’s fleet…. so they likely don’t have space to park aircraft at a gate for an extended period of time. #TMYK

    • Swood Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 11:23 am

      Unacceptable answer/excuse. When you land at your hub facility all of the major needs can be performed in order to turn around the aircraft. I know several personel that have worked United and the is just a major gaff on the part of operations. They, personel, have told me stories of having to turn around craft in rapid fashion, on many occasions, back to back. This situation is embarrassing.

  6. Mr G Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 4:50 pm

    Anyone know how many African American players the Browns have? Yeah, it’s probably racist to suggest they are the main culprits here but whatever! Professional athletes are some of the most inconsiderate people around.

    • Billy Bob Reply
      July 31, 2023 at 5:13 pm

      Yea because white rock stars have never trashed hotel rooms or anything

    • Nick Reply
      July 31, 2023 at 7:11 pm

      …but the rest of society is great?!?! #weallfallshort

    • Mr. Marcus Reply
      July 31, 2023 at 9:21 pm

      I don’t think you need to worry about your comment being considered “probably” racist…

    • Ken Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 2:08 am

      Not as inconsiderate as blatant racists who hide behind screen names and demonstrate their idiocy to a bunch of strangers online. What a moron. “Whatever!”

      • Hoot Gibson Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 1:39 pm

        Does the truth hurt you Little Kenny”? The guy that uses only ONE name…you must be a Rock Start….?

    • Stu Gots Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 10:56 am

      Ten bucks says Mr G’s wife has been railed by some of these folks while he watches.

      • Hoot Gibson Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 1:40 pm

        My Guess Little Stew, so has your boyfriend, and probably you to…?

    • Hoot Gibson Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 1:38 pm

      Not to worry Mr G, the usual excuse makers for this savages will trash your honest post…they, like all Liberals, cannot handle the truth…

    • Greg Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 2:08 pm

      Wow MR G. Any idea how many White Nationalist or Republicans were at Capitol on 1/6 causing millions of dollars in damages NOT to mention injuring officers

      • NunyaBizness Reply
        August 2, 2023 at 2:40 am

        Far fewer than the rampaging hordes of BLM & Antifa clowns rioting and looting in multiple cities in the summer of 2020. If I recall correctly, DOZENS of people were killed and BILLION$ in damage was caused by thousands of stooges acting as shock troops for the left.

    • Aaron Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 6:17 pm

      Probably?

  7. Goforride Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 5:19 pm

    Why wasn’t the plane cleaned in CLE?

    Uhhhhhh…..Because UA wasn’t expecting to have to do a post Animal House cleaning and didn’t have the staff for an unscheduled 757-300 makeover before it was supposed to go back into service.

    Just because CLE is a “focus city”, although that designation is pretty well dead and buried, doesn’t mean there are resources just sitting around, just in case a bunch of savages trash a plane.

  8. John Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 6:39 pm

    Not a complicated issue. This happened because they’re slobs.

  9. Airbusjeff Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 6:49 pm

    Yes this happens frequently on sports team charters. I have seen seat backs and arm rests completely ripped off the seat!!! Plus the plane totally trashed.

    • Mike Reply
      August 2, 2023 at 2:50 pm

      You are absolutely right ABJ.
      Sports teams are notorious for trashing hotels, planes, people. The team should pay a penalty(via contract) for destruction.

  10. Susan Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 6:53 pm

    Let them take a bus

    • Ken D. Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 9:29 am

      Now that is a great idea!

  11. CK Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 7:30 pm

    They should have to pay for the damage/extra cleaning & fined. NFL people know what a fine is.

    • Fxs Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 4:22 am

      After several years of following your articles, I realized how biased you are when it comes to UA.
      EVERY SINGLE TIME you mention UA, even though you might mention some positive words, you always make some negative comments.
      UA has done great during and after the pandemic.
      By now, you should know that logistics doesn’t always implement time to clean after a bunch of adult kids trashs an airplane.
      Maybe, maybe you mentioning that the treatment of a property that doesn’t belong to the supposedly “professional team” is disgusting would go a long way.
      Keep on kissing DL ASS

      • Matthew Klint Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 6:40 am

        You must be reading a very different blog than I am.

        Most call me a United apologist.

        LOL. Whatever.

  12. George Freed Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 8:53 pm

    What do you expect it’s Cleveland

  13. Warren Trout Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 9:44 pm

    This is normal after a pro sports team. I’ve seen it literally hundreds of times worse than after a normal flight.

    • Dan Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 6:04 am

      “Literally”? Hundreds of times worse? “Literally”. Which means you knew exactly now trashed the plane was and was able to quantitatively measure that against your experience to get “hundreds of times worse”? If people can’t figure out what literally means, well…, My head will literally explode.

      • Traveler Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 12:18 pm

        He said he has seen “it” worse and not that he saw “that plane”
        Sense to me that he meant that he has seen planes a hundred times worse, many times.
        And “hundred times worse” is a figure of speech, not actually a measurable quantity.

  14. Randy Daytona Reply
    July 31, 2023 at 9:47 pm

    So UA didnt do their job and clean the plane? Big deal. Trash article like most “journalism” these days. Everyone has to have an opinion and writes click bait. Im sure it happens weekly with overpaid athletes and celebs. The rich do what they want. This is not news.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 4:19 am

      You didn’t have to read it…

      • Matt Sucks Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 9:25 am

        You didn’t have to write it

  15. Your daddy Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 1:22 am

    Dallas Cowboys fly AA 777, patriots have own 767. Browns fly shittty 757, wonder why they suck and will continue. Also they paid 250 million to a predator who should be in jail. Karma!

    • Hoot Gibson Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 1:43 pm

      You sir hit the nail on the head, but the pointy head excuse maker for these savages won’t like your truthful comment…

  16. Essess Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 1:24 am

    I hope the team was charged for the extra cleaning needed.

  17. Dave Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 6:51 am

    CLE isn’t a “focus city”. Just a line Station.

    The aircraft arrived in CLE at 1447hrs, departed at 1522hrs. That’s thirty-five minutes of ground time, not two and half hours. It then had four hours and thirty four minutes of ground time at Dulles, but arrived at a remote parking spot (R22B) and had to be towed to the gate (D1), where it got cleaned and serviced.

    Yes, sports teams trash airplanes.

  18. Mia B Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 7:21 am

    Why would you make an issue of the plane not being cleaned at some other point or even do such inconsequential research? You don’t know what kind of staffing they have at various times and locations, and it should be obvious that airlines don’t anticipate a team consisting of grown men thoroughly trashing a plane.

  19. dblock Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 7:40 am

    Ha. I was on this flight! I was wondering the same thing, since I looked where it was coming from, and couldn’t figure out why they didn’t clean it earlier.

    I was pissed though. The Browns got Red Robin cheeseburgers (according to the menu). All I got was a microwaved pasta dish.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 11:12 am

      Did you happen to get a picture of the menu?

      • dblock Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 11:33 pm

        No, unfortunately no. But as an aside, I was super happy on this flight because I scored the mythical upgrade on a flight to SFO using plus points (I’m 1K). I feel like that rarely happens these days I was even joking with my colleagues about it before all of this went down

  20. Jack Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 8:23 am

    Being pigs on a plane is reminiscent of how they play on the football field. SLOPPY !!! I guess they don’t want to give us fans anything to be proud of !

  21. KIM Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 8:28 am

    AMAZING GROWN MEN ARE SUCH PIGS! ENTITLED!

  22. G Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 9:10 am

    Trash people do trashy things…

    • M Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 9:52 am

      You mean “White Trash”

      • Hoot Gibson Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 1:44 pm

        Pretty Sure he meant you and your ilk, Rufus…

  23. Ken D. Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 9:25 am

    I used to fly mlb, nfl, nhl and nba team charters back in the 90s and early 2000s. Believe me when I say it was commonplace for them to leave the aircraft a total mess. On one occasion an mlb team broke an entire row of seats. The flight attendants said the players were wrestling and horsing around. I witnessed many times a total lack of respect for the the aircraft in which their lives depended on. It was disgusting. And to think the world worships these guys…

  24. Paul Siemienczuk Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 10:22 am

    Well Mr. “Avid Traveller”, perhaps it would behoove you to learn correct commercial aviation nomenclature if you want to continue to enlighten the general flying public. A “ferry flight” is one that is occupied solely by the flight deck crew (pilot and first officer) due to a mechanical issue. The aircraft is being flown to a maintenance base to rectify the problem. The empty flight to which you are referring is called a “Repo flight” (repo as in reposition). In this case the aircraft is not needed in its current location so it is moved empty to where it is needed. On repo flights, passengers are not allowed but uniformed company employees such as flight deck, cabin crew and aircraft mechanics are allowed. As you can see there is quite a difference

  25. M Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 10:42 am

    This is disgusting and not acceptable! These are athletes people look up to. They should be reprimanded and held accountable with fines!

  26. WokerThenWoke Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 10:56 am

    And people are surprised. They just doing it big for the culture.

    • Kevin Stachnik Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 2:11 pm

      Coming from a guy calling himself Hoot….

  27. Jim Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 11:32 am

    In what ways was it trashed? Seems pretty nebulous to say it and have no details to help substantiate that.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 12:47 pm

      Read it again.

      • Jim Reply
        August 1, 2023 at 10:03 pm

        Food wrappers and menus left behind? Again, that doesn’t seem to substantiate “trashed”. It really sounds mundane, as if it were any other full flight. What am I missing?

      • Sherry Reply
        August 2, 2023 at 6:58 pm

        Well really if you were the pilot I would love to hear what you would say. I’m sure you would have been ten times worse than that pilot.
        The Cleveland Brown’s are to b grown men.

  28. Hassan Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 11:47 am

    I am always both truly amazed and disgusted simultaneously about how true it is that it usually takes between 6 and 10 posts before someone says something racist or sexist. Sure enough post number 6. Of course anonymous racist keyboard warrior.

    • Hoot Gibson Reply
      August 1, 2023 at 1:47 pm

      So, what’s your complete name? Go wash you camels and goats, they stink…

  29. Linda M Christine Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 2:16 pm

    I flew sports charters for Delta for 10 years.It all begins with the coach or General Manager of the team.Larry Bird has rules for this players when they are on charters,the players totally abide by them.
    With a football team,a lil harder to manage the number of players.Also the flight time between Greenbrier and CLE is short.Did the flight attendants even have time to pick up items at all.
    As for the stops in CLE AND IAD,that’s where someone lost the ball,,,either it wasn’t scheduled to be cleaned there,and would be cleaned in IAD,however,during a 4 HR sit at should have been done.With all airlines trying to cut costs,there may be less staff to do the work,,,all not really disclosed.
    Football teams out of all sports teams are usually the more “rowdy” guys,,not all,,,,but there’s always some.

  30. Antonio gasco Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 3:57 pm

    Ok you see in the United States we only have 4 airlines that we can respect and fly with security and dignity. But when they cancel they ask the live of the airline they trash the workers, no respect for next seating person. Always we blame the airlines. Ok you wanted you close this airlines or bankruptcy them and then what would you fly. Bird airline.
    Is not the airline most of time is the people no respect at all.

  31. B. nelson Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 6:11 pm

    I have worked these flights in the past, way past, the players as a whole treat the aircraft and staff with disregard and “trash” flight attendants as well as plane. Overpaid unsupervised children most of them.

  32. dangles Reply
    August 2, 2023 at 7:33 am

    Good… wait until the Cleveland Browns fly into town and trash your football team!

    • David Reply
      August 4, 2023 at 7:47 pm

      Cleveland Browns

      Year Record Finish (Regular / Post Season)
      2022 7-10-0 4th — AFC North
      2021 8-9-0 3rd — AFC North
      2020 11-5-0 3rd — AFC North
      2019 6-10-0 3rd — AFC North

  33. Pattie Reply
    August 2, 2023 at 11:13 am

    I have worked football charters too. I was blonde and young then. I gotta tell you they are out of control. Cleveland Browns were the worse. They chartered the plane, they owned the plane and they did whatever they wanted to the plane.

  34. Andrew Reply
    August 2, 2023 at 12:40 pm

    Everyone commenting is a loser except for me.

  35. liberals EatShit Reply
    August 2, 2023 at 2:14 pm

    Pilot experience was 3 flights in his career…..that is why he was assigned to a charter flight…to gain experience.. anybody notice how pilot would have been in violation of FAA rules about flight time for his day? But for United, assigning a tranny pilot checked off many boxes in their corporate dei goals.

  36. cairns Reply
    August 4, 2023 at 3:00 pm

    How do you keep Cleveland Brown out of your airplane?

    Simple, put up a goalpost.

  37. Nick Reply
    August 5, 2023 at 12:51 pm

    Haha! Should we believe the lie from United because the Browns told them to. Oh politics!

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