Passengers on Cathay Pacific CX883 almost set a new record for the longest continuous time spent in an airplane cabin on a commercial flight.
On August 4, Cathay Pacific flight CX883 from Los Angeles to Hong Kong almost set a new record for the longest continuous time passengers have spent in an airplane cabin on a commercial flight.
Originally scheduled to land in Hong Kong, the flight was diverted to Taiwan due to severe thunderstorms in the region.
Passengers remained onboard for nearly 29 hours, waiting for weather conditions to improve. The flight eventually landed safely in Hong Kong on August 5, where passengers applauded the crew for their professionalism and a smooth landing after the extended journey.
The record for the longest continuous time spent aboard a commercial airplane cabin appears to be from Cathay Pacific Flight CX831—where passengers remained on the aircraft for around 30 to 34 hours during an extended ground delay.
In April 2014, CX831—bound for Hong Kong—suffered a crew timeout after a fog delay in Zhuhai, China. While waiting for a replacement crew, passengers were confined to the plane for about 15 hours, followed by continued delay before takeoff, summing up to an eventual total of 30–34 hours onboard before finally reaching Hong Kong.
Another notable long-haul case was Etihad Airways Flight 183 from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco in January 2015. Due to heavy fog at Abu Dhabi Airport, passengers spent 12 hours stuck on the tarmac, followed by a 16-hour flight, totaling 28 hours in the cabin
