Betty Ong
Betty Ann Ong | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | September 11, 2001 (aged 45) |
| Occupation | Flight attendant |
| Known for | Flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11 during the September 11 attacks; first to notify authorities about the hijacking |
Betty Ann Ong (February 5, 1956 – September 11, 2001) served as a flight attendant for American Airlines on Flight 11, which was the initial aircraft hijacked during the September 11 attacks. Ong was the first to notify authorities about the takeover. Shortly after the hijacking began, she contacted American Airlines' ground operations and stayed on the radio for 23 minutes, delivering essential information that played a key role in the FAA's historic decision to ground all U.S. flights. The 9/11 Commission honored Ong as a hero for her courageous efforts.
Life and career
Born in San Francisco on February 5, 1956, Betty Ann Ong was of Kaiping heritage, a subgroup of Sze Yup Cantonese. She had three siblings: two sisters named Cathie and Gloria, and a brother named Harry. Ong completed her education at George Washington High School in 1974. One of her personal interests as an adult was collecting Beanie Babies.
Although modeling opportunities arose, her mother opposed this path, leading Ong to work at her family’s beef jerky business. Her calm demeanor was demonstrated during an armed robbery there when she quietly alerted her father without causing alarm.
In the early 1980s, Ong began her aviation career with Pacific Southwest Airlines in baggage handling before moving on to serve as a ticket agent for Delta Air Lines. She transitioned to American Airlines as a flight attendant in 1987.
That same year, Ong encountered a severe car accident involving Jo Ellen Chew, a recent acquaintance. Ong provided immediate assistance and was later commended by Chew for her bravery and kindness.
At the time of her passing, Ong was engaged to Robert Landrum and resided in Andover, Massachusetts.
Death
On September 11, 2001, Ong volunteered to work on Flight 11 for a trip back to Los Angeles where she planned a vacation. When the hijacking occurred, she used a phone card to contact American Airlines’ operations center in Cary, North Carolina. Identifying herself, she reported the hijacking and, together with fellow flight attendant Madeline Amy Sweeney, gave seat numbers of three hijackers. Ong also informed them that crew members were unable to open or communicate with the cockpit; passenger Daniel Lewin and flight attendants Karen Martin and Barbara Arestegui had been stabbed; and that mace had been sprayed in the business class cabin.
Phone call
The transcript from Ong’s final call lasting 8 minutes and 26 seconds to American Airlines’ operations and emergency teams contains crucial information about the unfolding crisis. During this conversation, she described the cockpit’s lack of response, multiple stabbing injuries among crew members, and passengers suffering from exposure to a chemical irritant. She identified herself as "number 3" flight attendant on Flight 11 traveling from Boston to Los Angeles.
Ong reported that the purser and another flight attendant had been attacked, first-class passengers were relocated to coach seating, and no one could gain access to the cockpit. Operations specialists Nydia Gonzalez and Winston Sadler managed communications with Ong, passing vital updates to emergency services and Air Traffic Control as events progressed. The plane was flying erratically with its transponder disabled and descending rapidly.
The call concluded moments before Flight 11 struck the World Trade Center. Ong’s detailed communication provided indispensable real-time intelligence during this critical emergency.
Memorials and legacy
On September 21, 2001, approximately 200 individuals from San Francisco’s Chinese American community convened to pay tribute to Ong. San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown declared the date as "Betty Ong Day," honoring those who perished in the tragedy.
In 2002, Ong was posthumously awarded the first-ever Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery, alongside Sweeney and Flight 11 Captain John Ogonowski. This accolade, created by the Government of Massachusetts, recognizes exceptional heroism in life-saving efforts.
Ong’s remains were retrieved from the Ground Zero in March 2002. Following cremation, her ashes were laid to rest at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California.
The recreation center in San Francisco’s Chinatown—where Ong spent her childhood—was renamed the Betty Ann Ong Chinese Recreation Center in 2011 as a tribute.
Her name is inscribed on Panel N-74 at the National September 11 Memorial’s North Pool alongside other passengers of Flight 11.
Additionally, Ong is honored on Gold Mountain, a mural celebrating Chinese American heritage located on Romolo Place in North Beach, San Francisco, a neighborhood connected to her early years.
Betty Ann Ong Foundation
The Betty Ann Ong Foundation perpetuates Ong’s dedication to children’s well-being by offering programs focused on nutrition, health education, leadership development, critical thinking, strategic planning, teamwork, and civic engagement. The foundation supports initiatives such as the Bakersfield Police Activities League and the Betty Ann Ong Chinese Recreation Center in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
In March 2013, the foundation publicly opposed the Transportation Security Administration’s proposal to permit knives with blades up to 2.36 inches on airplanes—a policy later rescinded after widespread criticism. Cathie Ong-Herrera, serving as president and CEO of the foundation and Ong’s sister, highlighted the security dangers referencing the fatal box-cutter attacks during 9/11. The foundation collaborated with other organizations to challenge the TSA’s decision, contributing significantly to its reversal.
In media
Ong was depicted by Jean Yoon in ABC’s 2006 miniseries The Path to 9/11 and portrayed by Jane Zhang in the second episode of the BBC docudrama Zero Hour released in 2004.
A widely recognized excerpt from Ong’s call to air traffic control was featured at the start of the 2012 movie Zero Dark Thirty. This footage was used without permission or acknowledgment from Ong’s family or her airline. The family requested that Sony Pictures Entertainment make a charitable contribution in her honor, provide on-screen credit, clarify that they do not support the film's portrayal of torture, and publicly address these concerns during the 85th Academy Awards ceremony as well as in home video versions.