A United Airlines’ 787-9 bound for Los Angeles diverted to Noumea due to the “smell of smoke” onboard.
Noumea is the capital of New Caledonia, a French territory located east of Australia and north of New Zealand. The flight, UA99, landed at La Tontouta International Airport (NOU) at 4:22 PM local time after leaving early from Melbourne, Australia at 12:33 PM. The flight had 256 passengers and all will remain overnight in Noumea. An airport official in Noumea explained the delay in this way:
It seems that there was some smoke coming out of the cockpit.
Fuel was dumped prior to landing, but no passengers or crew were injured.
One passenger, UAMike, wrote on Flyertalk:
Emergency landing here in Noumea, New Caledonia due to smoke in the cockpit. Landed safely without incident. However, it was a bit unsettling to see the aircraft dumping fuel over the ocean before landing. Also, it was my first time seeing the flight attendants demonstrate how to do the “brace position”. Hope to get more info on when we can leave the island (hopefully tomorrow morning). New Caledonia is a beautiful place. United and the people of New Caledonia have taken good care of us.
There are worse places to be stranded…
Huh? Why is it unsettling seeing dumping fuel over the ocean? Is it because its harming the environment? If only he knew how many ships/vessels dumping MFO over the ocean/on port areas…. Sigh…. Snowflake these days….
No you Dotard it’s because watching your plane lose fuel is an unsettling sight for the traveling public. It indicates life threatening danger is approaching. Think before you speak.
Fuel dumping is to lose weight prior to landing. If the crew manage to find and get clearance to land in nearest airport, the critical and life threatening phase mostly be over.
Your logic and expletive confused me. Is it because you are a snowflake?
Dotard is not an expletive.
Grow up.
You have serious mental issues dude. You’re so full of hate you actually refer to people as “snowflakes.” Seek help man, before it affects your life.
Watching a plane jettison fuel isn’t scary you moron. It’s simply dropping weight because they are intending to land earlier. It was precautionary landing, not an emergency one. It wasn’t a big deal.
What’s a “Snowflake”?
We have family on this flight. United airlines have not been able to help us at all. I’ve found out more information from news sites.
Do you know of anyway to contact passengers? My mother is elderly and we are concerned about her. She doesn’t speak English well either. Please if you have more information let me know.
Dear Antoniette, I’ll send you an email.
A do not let her fly alone..if u cannot go with her hire someone!! it;s not nice to have the FA’s have to deal with her esp if not able to speak ENGLISH well and i’m sure she is scared to fly alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I once was sitting next to a woman traveling from Santiago, Chile to Noumea. She said it was a nice island. Her flight stop in Easter Island and she had a connecting flight in Papeete, Tahiti.
Nice to United not continuing their series of customer service screwups when diverting.
Hello im from new caledonia , im surprised to read this because no information was conmunicated to us about the fuell spill into the ocean ,