United Airlines cancels Denver 9/11 flyover after 'concerns in the community'

Katie Langford, The Denver Post on Sep 9, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

DENVER — United Airlines officials canceled a planned flyover of a passenger jet escorted by a squadron of F-16s over Denver for a private 9/11 memorial after “concerns in the community,” the company said Wednesday.

Denver emergency management officials published a notice about the flyover earlier this week to let residents know the event may be “highly visible from parts of Denver, noticeable by sounds, more noticeable than a typical aircraft event, (and) brief, but surprising if you aren’t aware it’s planned.”

“There is no emergency. This is a planned memorial event,” city officials said in the alert. “The flyover is intended to honor and remember the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.”

The flyover was set to start at 8:15 a.m., when a United Boeing 777 would leave Denver International Airport and be joined by a 120th Fighter Squadron from Buckley Space Force Base before flying over United flight training center in Denver’s Central Park neighborhood.

United officials said the company had planned the flyover, “a meaningful gesture to honor the memory of those lost within the pilot community, but will suspend those plans due to concerns in the community and instead carry on with the other events of the day.”

United’s memorial service is not open to the public, airline officials said. United, American Airlines and other airport employees will pause for a moment of silence at DIA at 9:03 a.m., which is when United Airlines Flight 175 hit the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

_____