A United Airlines Boeing 757
was forced to divert to Pittsburgh International Airport on Saturday evening after crew members noticed a strange odor in the cabin, local television station WPXI reported. Flight 2294, which flew from Newark Liberty International Airport
to Los Angeles International Airport
, landed safely, and all passengers evacuated normally.
Unknown cabin odor
According to a spokesperson for Pittsburgh International Airport
, the aircraft landed without incident, and all passengers disembarked the plane normally. After detecting the odor, United Airlines reported that diverting the flight was a safety precaution. While United Airlines confirmed the presence of an unusual odor, the exact cause remains under investigation. The airline has not released additional details about the nature of the smell or any potential mechanical issues that might have contributed to the incident.
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
Upon arrival, a different aircraft was dispatched to transport the passengers to their final destination in Los Angeles. This quick response ensured that travelers could continue their journey with minimal disruption.
Details of the flight
Flight UA2294 departed from Newark at 16:24 local time, six minutes ahead of schedule, and was initially set to arrive in Los Angeles at 19:29 local time. The Boeing 757-200
, which has been in service since its first flight on November 22, 1994, landed at Gate B48 in Pittsburgh approximately four hours and 15 minutes earlier than anticipated.

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The substitute flight eventually departed Pittsburgh from Gate C55 at 22:31 local time, resulting in an approximately six-hour delay to the original schedule. Passengers reached Los Angeles shortly after midnight.
This nearly 30-year-old aircraft, registered as N13110, has 16 business and 153 economy class seats and can accommodate 169 passengers. On Monday morning, it is scheduled to travel from Pittsburgh to Newark as UA2293.
United Airlines operates a diversified and broad fleet of 972 aircraft. Currently, the airline serves 56 Boeing 757 aircraft, with an average age of 25.9 years. The fleet includes 36 757-200s and 20 757-300s, which is significantly younger.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
History of similar incidents
This is not the first time a commercial flight has been diverted due to cabin odor concerns. Last month, an Alaska Airlines
flight AS810 from Lihue, Kauai, to Seattle was forced to divert to Honolulu after four flight attendants reported feeling unwell due to an unidentifiable odor in the cabin. According to the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, the crew members experienced symptoms, including nausea and disturbed coordination, requiring hospital evaluation.

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In August, American Airlines
Flight 2392, traveling from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Hartford, Connecticut, was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Raleigh after crew members detected an unknown odor in the cabin. American Airlines Flight 5715, operated by Piedmont Airlines, from Boston to Rochester, landed at the Syracuse Hancock International Airport due to smoke in the cabin.
Another similar incident happened in May, when a Southwest Airlines
flight had to be diverted due to an unusual smell onboard. According to the airline, flight 8901 from Baltimore/Washington (BWI) to Denver was diverted to Nashville due to an unusual odor in the cabin.