Diverting to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport (PKC)

[Eboy]

Flying between the US and Japan I often fly near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. Several times I have wondered what would happen if the the pilot needed to divert at the Peninsula.

I see there exists the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport (PKC) which, according to the Wikipedia entry, is a public airport that can accommodate large aircraft. It is also said to be a center for several military operating units that include a few dozen MIG-31 fighter aircraft.

I wonder if the presence of the military operations would delay getting permission to land in an emergency?

[Hartington]

In the past Alaska Airlines operated to:

* Khabarovsk
* Magadan
* Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
* Vladivostok
* Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

admittedly it would have been using MD80s but with the principle established I see no reason why an emergency divert wouldn't be possible.

A few years ago a BA 747 on the way home from the far east ended up somewhere in central Russia (I forget where). They couldn't get the loaded plane out again so they sent various short haul planes to pick up the passengers. I seem to remember the pax were allowed off but only in groups for a short time each. I also recall comments about the state of the runway being a bit bumpy (British understatement)

[Aksai Oiler]

It was Kazakhstan - Uralsk/Oral (URA) and if I remember right they could not get the airport steps up to the doors.

I used to fly in and out of there on an EAL 737-200

[Tolsti]

Used to travel into and from Petropavlovsk from Vladivostok and Khabarovsk some years ago. Interesting approach into Yelisovo through the volcanoes...some still active. The taxiway into the terminal was lined by military aircraft dispersal standings many occupied by old seaplanes which had huge viewing windows and also old Migs. All were in various states of disuse. There was also active military aircraft including helicopters there as there are at many Russian airfields where military/civil share runways.

I remember speaking with a Virgin captain who was flying at a time just after the Russia allowed overflights and he said they had been told that in the event of an emergency in flight over Russia they had been assured that 'don't worry we'll bet you onto the ground... we can't tell you where, but we'll get you down.'

Departure from PKC gave a good view of the submarine pens in Kamchatka Bay.

[Hartington]

Thanks Aksai Oiler. Yes, I remember the steps problem now.

[WHBM]

Petropavlovsk is a significant Russian airport, with multiple daily flights by western widebody aircraft on the long run across the country to Moscow, along with substantial regional operations. Both Aeroflot and Transaero use 767s on these Moscow flights. It's not the backwater you may think.