In a remarkable incident, United Airlines Flight UA 980 defied the conventional boundaries of time and space.
On January 1, 2017, the plane took off from Shanghai, China, and landed in San Francisco, California, on December 31, 2016.
This extraordinary event was made possible by the International Date Line (IDL), a fascinating phenomenon that has captivated the imagination of many.
United Airlines Flight UA 980 departed Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) at 1:20 AM local time on January 1, 2017.
The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, carrying 252 passengers and crew members, embarked on a 12-hour journey across the Pacific Ocean.
As the plane flew over the Pacific, it approached the IDL, an imaginary line that runs roughly along the 180° longitude.
At 10:20 AM GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), the aircraft crossed the IDL, effectively “jumping” back in time by one day.
After a long-haul flight, United Airlines Flight UA 980 landed at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) at 6:20 PM local time on December 31, 2016.
Passengers and crew members had traveled back in time, arriving on New Year’s Eve, while their friends and family in Shanghai were already celebrating the start of 2017.
United Airlines Flight UA 980’s extraordinary journey highlights the unique aspects of international air travel and the fascinating effects of the International Date Line.
