CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES
More than 70 China Eastern Airlines passengers stranded in Los Angeles since the weekend because of mechanical problems with their plane finally departed for Shanghai late Tuesday night.
The Airbus A340 took off at 11 p.m., according to an airline spokesman. The plane was originally scheduled to depart at 1:30 p.m. Sunday but was grounded after problems with its landing gear were discovered.
Many of the initial 282 Shanghai-bound passengers took direct flights to Beijing on Monday and Tuesday, while others canceled their trips.
The stranded passengers were put up in a hotel and given meals by the airline. They had the option of getting a refund on a one-way fare, buying their own tickets to China on another airline or waiting until the problem was resolved.
-- Raja Abdulrahim
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
