United cancels Denver 9/11 flyover over fears of emergency calls
7 sourcesUpdated Sep 10, 2026
United Airlines canceled a planned 9/11 memorial flyover over Denver featuring a Boeing 777 escorted by four Colorado Air National Guard F-16s. The tribute was scheduled for 9:03 a.m., matching the time United Flight 175 struck the World Trade Center’s South Tower in 2001, and was intended to honor United employees and passengers killed in the attacks. Denver officials feared residents might mistake the formation for an actual emergency, prompting a potential surge of calls to 911 and 311. The city said United informed it of the plan but did not seek its approval, while the Air National Guard said state-level authorization was still under review. United cited community concerns in canceling the event, though a private memorial unveiling at the airline’s Denver training center is still expected to proceed.
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It's the right call to scrap the plan if it means tying up first responders on 9/11, even if the intent was respectful.
This flyover was meant as a quiet tribute for United staff, but canceling it over possible panic calls feels like we're letting fear win again.
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