Air China’s Siberian Pit Stop: 13-Hour Engine Timeout
On October 22, 2024, Air China Flight 856 departed London Heathrow at 11 p.m., boasting a state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300ER and exuding confident disregard for Russian airspace closures since the Ukraine invasion. Five hours in, with exactly zero mystique, the engine threw a tantrum leading to a PAN-PAN urgency call and an unplanned scenic detour to Nizhnevartovsk, Siberia—population probably wishing for roads instead of runways. Over 250 passengers and 15 crew endured a 13-hour layover in the 'luxury' accommodations of ‘several dozen folding beds’ and complimentary damp snacks. A replacement 777 from Beijing finally touched down just after 5 p.m., lifted off four hours later, and delivered the weary travelers to Beijing at 4:41 a.m. Wednesday—13 hours and 16 minutes late, fashionably making the original 3:25 p.m. Monday schedule look like a casual suggestion.
Share the Story
Air China’s Boeing 777 got an impromptu Siberian vacation after a 5-hour engine hissy fit, stranding 250+ passengers on ’folding bed luxury’ and 13 hours of airport economy. Meanwhile, common sense took a detour no one booked.
When your plane’s engine decides a Siberian pitstop is just what the itinerary needs, you learn quickly that Air China also means Air Circus.
Turns out 'direct flight' secretly means '13 hours of unexpected Siberian bonding with strangers on folding beds'. Grab your snacks and trip insurance.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 8/27/2025 | Author: Pete Syme
More Articles in World News
BBC Boss Duo Bail After Splicing Trump’s Jan 6 Remix
Iran’s Quds Force Fails Assassin Side Hustle In Mexico
Trump’s Climate Absence Sparks Latin Roast at COP30 Brazil
Canadian Family Escapes Hot Bubble, Buys Japanese House Blindly
Kazakhstan Joins Abraham Accords: Because Why Not, Trump Wants a Club
