Which regional airline's agents directed passengers to the wrong aircraft this morning? Two aircraft on the ramp, operating to two different state capitals. Pax for one loaded, departs, and about 20 mins out en-route flight crew make a P/A about ETA and weather. Pax look anxiously around each wondering if they are the only one heading the wrong way. No.... they all thought they were going somewhere else! Aircraft announces to ATC they they need to return to departure port and pick up the correct punters. I've heard of this happening before but wondered if it really does occur. How come no-one questioned it earlier? About 120 degrees difference in departure tracks!!!!!
Similar thing happend ot Ozjet. 2 aircraft on a charter. 1 aeroplane to carry ~ 104 pax and the other ~ 70 pax. The aircraft with 70 pax was fuelled to depart with tankering fuel assuming the 70 pax and bags.
Each pax group was loaded onto the wrong aircraft. The pilots on the aircraft carrying tankering fuel wondered why so many pax were getting on and asked the ground agent how many were being loaded. When the Captain was informed that 104 pax were expected, he ordered that boarding be discontinued and pax on board counted. It was determined that the aircraft at that stage was 2kg below max ramp weight...
TAA did it ex-Sydney a hundred years ago with two B727's if I remember correctly one to ADL and one to BNE. Both diverted en-route to correct destinations - sorry about the bags which had been loaded correctly!
Don't hold your breath any longer... I'll tell you now!
The departure port was Narrabri. They lost their air link to Sydney for a while when Qantaslink pulled out, but poor dears, it's all too complicated for them now that they are now linked with FOUR cities/towns.
The airline is named after a seabird, but perhaps they might rebrand with a more appropriate seabird... AeroBooby
How come no-one questioned it earlier? About 120 degrees difference in departure tracks!!!!!
Without a DG or HSI available to the pax, I'm not sure they would automatically sense the aircraft's track.
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What other connections does the town have? I thought it was a Newy maybe Sydney only?
My employers have been using Pelican to get us to NBR regulalrly - they have connections NTL-NAA, NAA-SYD and NAA-BNE. Not sure what the fourth route is
they have connections NTL-NAA, NAA-SYD and NAA-BNE. Not sure what the fourth route is
NAA - DGE on weekends.
TwoFiftyBelowTen, is this really news? As others have said, it does happen, and not just to the smaller players. Just don't let the facts get in the way of a good rumour, eh?
TAA did it ex-Sydney a hundred years ago with two B727's if I remember correctly one to ADL and one to BNE. Both diverted en-route to correct destinations - sorry about the bags which had been loaded correctly!
TBM, It was Ansett, if it's the one to I to which I think you refer. Around 1965. The traffic officer responsible was a mate of mine, we never let him forget. Tootle pip!!
Have a read of the book 'Tiny Office - Great Views', the chapter headed "Oops, wrong airport", for some examples of things going to the wrong destination. It (..it) happens !!!
Many years ago (1987 I believe) returning from a family holiday to Majorca. Bus pulled up next to a plane and people started piling off and racing up the stairs. I told wife and kids not to rush because aircraft was a 767 which, although the correct airline, was surely the Gatwick flight and not East Midlands which would be a 737. My words were not heeded and family exited bus but did not reach the stairs before a wave of humanity started rushing back down the stairs fighting their way past the hopefuls still moving upwards.
