United is reinstating a United 93 as a flight starting 21 May 2011.
The flight used to be operated by United from Newark to San Francisco using a Boeing 757 until September 11, 2001. On that date, approximately 46 minutes into the flight, hijackers diverted the plane towards Washington, D.C. The asumption is the target was the US Capitol or White House.
The passengers attempted to regain control of the plane from the hijackers causing the plane to crash into fields in Pennsylvania, about 240 km from D.C. killing everybody.
A movie was made about the hijacking.
United removed Flight 93 after the September 11 hijackings.
The new flight number is a codeshare flight from Houston to San Jose CA and is actually Continental flight CO489. However UA 93 will appear in terminals. It is a 737.
I am not sure I feel okay about using this flight number.
Update: United has advised that the reinstatement of 93 was a mistake.
Double error: they also reinstated Flight number 175, one of the planes that was flown into the WTC. Apparently it was due to a computer error, as part of their merging with Continental (and complete lack of attention and sensitivity?) United then apologised and retracted the flight numbers. Happy travels, from Kirsten of The Bud
Big oops. Heres the report from CBS on the apology. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/05/18/united-airlines-reinstates-numbers-of-two-planes-that-crashed-on-911-93-and-175/