When The Plane’s Wing Seems to Disintegrate

“Redditors Rally to Reassure Passenger Amid Wing Issue on United Airlines Flight”

Thankfully, the Reddit community swiftly came to the rescue when a passenger, who goes by the username ‘octopus_hub14,’ shared their concern about an unusual situation during a United Airlines flight. While it wasn’t an ideal experience, Redditors assured the passenger that it wasn’t a “huge issue.”

The incident unfolded as follows:

1. Unusual Noise at Altitude:
   • ‘octopus_hub14’ reported sitting near the wing and noticed that the noise after reaching altitude was much louder than usual.
   • Curious, they opened the window to get a closer look at the wing.
2. Wing Damage:
   • The photo they posted revealed paint and metal disintegrating from the slats on the starboard wing.
   • As the flight continued, more metal appeared to come away from the wing.
3. Expert Insights:
   • A knowledgeable Redditor explained that this type of issue is a known (though rare) failure point on the Boeing 757.
   • While not a significant problem, it can cause control issues and buffeting due to irregular airflow over the wing.
   • The standard procedure in such cases is a non-emergency diversion.
4. Educating the Passenger:
   • Other Redditors took the time to clarify the terminology:
     • The flaps are located on the trailing edge of the wing.
     • The slats, which were affected in this case, are on the leading edge.
     • Both flaps and slats deploy at lower speeds to enhance lift.
5. Flight Diversion and Resolution:
   • Once the flight crew became aware of the issue, the pilots of the Boeing 757 decided to divert to Denver.
   • United promptly arranged for a new plane to transport the 165 passengers safely to Boston.

In a statement, United Airlines confirmed the diversion:

“United flight 354 diverted to Denver yesterday afternoon to address an issue with the slat on the wing of the aircraft. The flight landed safely, and we arranged for a different aircraft to take customers to their destination, which arrived in Boston last night.”

Kudos to the flight crew, Redditors, and United Airlines for their swift response and ensuring passenger safety!

When The Plane’s Wing Seems to Disintegrate, Ask Reddit if its okay

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