New Year’s Eve: Couple furious after Uber blunder leaves them watching fireworks on phone

Katherine Mai and her partner Jayden Nguyen travelled to Sydney’s CBD to watch the midnight fireworks at the harbour. Instead, they saw them on their phones in the back of an Uber.

A Western Sydney couple’s dream to watch the famous midnight fireworks quickly sizzled out after an Uber stuff-up, which saw them headed in the complete wrong direction, left them watching the display on their phones.

21-year-old medical receptionist Katherine Mai and her partner Jayden Nguyen, 20, were looking forward to seeing the year out in style at Darlinghurst’s Medusa Hotel.

The Liverpool couple splashed $270 for a one-night stay at the ritzy 5-star accommodation, enjoying its comforts before embarking on what they’d hoped would been a 12-minute ride to a vantage point just below Mrs Macquarie’s Chair at 11.30pm.

Instead, they would end up seeing the award-winning display via a YouTube livestream in the back of a second Uber.

Jayden Nguyen (left) and Katherine Mai (right) were looking forward to watching the famous New Year’s Eve fireworks, having travelled from Liverpool to stay in a ritzy 5-star hotel for the night. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Here’s how their New Year’s Eve nightmare played out:

“We based our whole day on the New Year’s fireworks and we just ended up stuck in traffic,” Ms Mai told The Daily Telegraph.

“We didn’t know we were going towards Haymarket, we’re not really familiar with the city.

“It was completely opposite to what we were looking forward to. It was really frustrating, because if we got off where the first Uber driver initially took us we could’ve seen the fireworks … but then he drove us to Haymarket which made us delayed.

“It hit 12.06am and we were still in the traffic (in the second Uber), not moving at all, and we couldn’t make it at all so we just re-routed back to our hotel.”

The pair ended up watching the fireworks on their phones in the backseat of their Uber, stuck in gridlock traffic (pictured). Image: Supplied

Ms Mai and Mr Nguyen were left stranded in the city after their Uber driver drove the in a completely different direction to where they had asked to go. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Once returned to their hotel room, the couple had a shower and went to sleep – almost $50 poorer than when they set out.

“It was a complete failure.”

Ms Mai said she rated the driver one star, and has since submitted a complaint to Uber.

An Uber spokesperson said: “Rideshare access will be restricted in certain areas between Tues 31st December 2024 to Weds 1st Jan 2025 due to several disruptions and road closures taking place to facilitate New Year’s Eve events.”

“We apologise for additional wait times and any inconvenience caused.”

Originally published as New Year’s Eve: Couple furious after Uber blunder leaves them watching fireworks on phone