Strange Routing

[pp763]

Can anyone help me out. A friend was recently on a flight from Las palmas to Manchester and the routing was fairly north way to the west of the bay of biscay, up to somewhere around the Liffy intersection and then the Mirsi arrival. Is this a common routing?
Thanks in advance

[BOAC]

It sounds like a T9 routing in Oceanic airspace to avoid our slightly troublesome European partners and is quite common. At any time there will be up to 5 or 6 aircraft on the route. It is controlled by 'Shanwick' Oceanic Control at Prestwick

[pp763]

Many thanks for the reply BOAC