Imagine celebrating Double New Year’s Eve twice on the same day — a daring plan that left some revellers disappointed due to unforeseen delays. While it sounded like a thrilling adventure, the attempt to time-travel for a double New Year’s celebration took an unexpected turn, causing miffed passengers to miss out on the anticipated joy.
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Guam to Honolulu Flight’s Unique Time-Travel Promise
After welcoming the New Year in Guam on December 31, 2023, the plan for some revellers was to take a flight to Honolulu on January 1 at 7.35 am, where they would theoretically arrive on December 31 by 6.50 am. United Airlines, operating Flight UA200, promised passengers a distinctive time-travel experience, offering them the chance to celebrate New Year’s Eve twice. The concept of time zone hopping for New Year’s Eve celebrations is not new, with select flights providing passengers the opportunity to usher in the New Year more than once.
Delayed Flight Shatters Double New Year’s Expectations
The excitement surrounding UA200’s promise turned into disappointment as the flight faced delays. Initially set to depart Guam at 7.35 am on January 1, 2024, and arrive in Honolulu at 6.50 pm on December 31, 2023, the flight didn’t live up to the anticipation. Finally taking off at 1.50 pm on January 1, the flight landed in Honolulu past 12.30 am on the same day, missing the expected double New Year’s countdown. Miffed passengers expressed their disappointment on social media platforms.
One passenger lamented, “Great idea, too bad it got delayed! I was supposed to be on this flight. Double New Year isn’t happening anymore.” Another user shared, “I booked this flight specifically so I could do this. I got a delay notification, and we aren’t scheduled to get in until 1/1.”
Mixed Experiences on Other Flights
While UA200 faced setbacks, some passengers on other flights successfully experienced the joy of ringing in 2024 twice. Flights like Cathay Pacific’s CX872 and All Nippon Airways’ NH106 managed to uphold the unique New Year’s Eve celebration plan, departing and arriving across different time zones.