Singapore, April 25 - United Airlines Flight UA29, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, on March 27, 2025, encountered severe turbulence while en route from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), resulting in injuries to five individuals onboard. The flight, carrying 174 passengers and 14 crew members, was cruising at 40,000 feet over Butuan City in Mindanao, Philippines, approximately 12 hours into its 17-hour trans-Pacific journey, when the unexpected turbulence struck. The incident, which occurred during a routine overnight flight, prompted immediate action from the crew and sparked renewed discussions about aviation safety on long-haul routes.
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The turbulence was sudden and violent, catching passengers and crew off guard. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), one flight attendant sustained serious injuries, while three other crew members and one passenger reported minor injuries. The exact nature of the injuries has not been disclosed, but medical personnel were on hand at Singapore Changi Airport to meet the aircraft upon its safe landing at 7:43 a.m. local time on March 28. The injured individuals were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. United Airlines confirmed that the flight experienced a brief period of unexpected turbulence and emphasized that the crew followed standard operating procedures to ensure the safety of all onboard. The remaining 173 passengers and 10 crew members were unharmed, and the aircraft landed without further incident.
The FAA reported the event on April 22, 2025, as part of its Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) system, triggering an investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. The incident has drawn attention to the challenges of navigating turbulence-prone regions, particularly over the Pacific, where jet streams and weather patterns can create unpredictable conditions. The FAA notes that between 2009 and 2023, only 184 serious turbulence-related injuries occurred on U.S.-registered aircraft, with crew members accounting for the majority. With approximately 2.9 million passengers flying daily in and out of U.S. airports, such incidents remain rare but underscore the importance of safety protocols.
United Airlines expressed regret for the incident and commended the crew’s professionalism in managing the situation. The event follows other turbulence-related incidents involving United, including a March 2024 flight that made an emergency landing in New York after injuring over 20 passengers. The investigation into Flight UA29 may lead to updated advisory notices regarding seatbelt use and in-cabin announcements to minimize future risks. As air travel continues to grow, incidents like this highlight the need for ongoing vigilance and advancements in turbulence detection to ensure passenger and crew safety on long-haul flights.