Flight delay cancels double new year celebration

A United flight that was promoted as an opportunity to travel back in time and celebrate New Years twice was delayed.  

On Dec. 28 United Airlines flight UA200 from Guam was scheduled to depart at 7:35 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2024, travel east across the International Date Line, and land in Honolulu at 6:50 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2023. United Airlines said that “you only live once, but you can celebrate New Year’s Eve twice.” 



Unfortunately, UA200 was delayed by six hours. The flight departed Guam at 1:49 p.m. Dec. 31, 2023, which was too late to and landed in Hawaii around 12:30 a.m. Jan. 1, 2024. 

Although people on those flights were unable to celebrate the new year twice, Guam made sure that ringing in the New Year was anything but boring. Hotels across the island, bars, and nightclubs all had New Year countdown parties. In addition, the Guam Visitors Bureau hosted two fireworks shows and one drone show to celebrate the New Year.  Carl T.C. Gutierrez, GVB president, said it was an opportunity to “show our visitors and new residents how we celebrate the Holidays together as an island.”