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Donovan Slams United for 'Worst Travel Experience'
15 Jun
Summary
- Donovan called the flight the worst travel experience of his life.
- Flight 404 was delayed, diverted, and reboarded multiple times.
- Passengers were left stranded without hotel offers after a late-night delay.
Former Team USA soccer player Landon Donovan took to social media on June 15, 2026, to voice his extreme dissatisfaction with United Airlines. He described a recent flight experience as the "worst travel experience" of his life, citing a severe lack of transparency and respect for passengers.
Donovan's colleague, Ian Darke, shared a similar account of a United Airlines flight, UA 404 from Houston to Newark. The flight suffered multiple delays, diversions, and reboardings. Passengers were particularly upset when the pilot aborted takeoff at 3 a.m. due to a minor time infraction, and no hotel accommodations were offered.
In response to Donovan's public complaints, United Airlines' official X account invited him to send a private message. However, Donovan declined, insisting on public accountability and demanding an apology and reimbursement for all affected passengers. This incident occurred as Donovan and Darke were covering the 2026 World Cup for Fox Sports.
