United jet engine catches fire on runway

by Filip Timotija - 05/28/24 11:39 AM ET

An Airbus A320-214 plane operated by American Airlines at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey, US, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. The TSA expects travel volumes during the peak spring break travel season at nearly 6% above 2023. Photographer: Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A United Airlines flight scheduled to take off from Chicago to Seattle was delayed Monday due to a “reported engine fire,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

United Flight 2091, an Airbus plane carrying 148 passengers and five crew members, was scheduled to take off from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, but its takeoff was aborted around 2 p.m. local time.

Normal operations resumed around 2:45 p.m. local time, according to the FAA.

United Airlines said in a statement to The Hill that the flight was delayed “due to an issue with the engine,” without mentioning a fire.

“We made arrangements for a different aircraft to take customers to Seattle later that evening,” the airline said in a statement. “The fire department and medical personnel met the aircraft out of an abundance of caution.”

In the lead-up to Memorial Day, travelers faced widespread flight delays Thursday. Flight delays also occurred on Monday at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, averaging 75 minutes, and thunderstorms forced planes to be temporarily grounded, PIX 11 reported.

Updated at 2:02 p.m. EDT.

Tags FAA United Airlines