Beags,
As I know naught about such things.....why would a routing around the typical northern route structure not have afforded more flexibility with access to more diversions than appears to be available on the routing selected?
Is there an advantage to going south rather than north that I do not understand?
I would think the aircraft could be either landed or craned aboard one of the new carriers and transported to close proximity of the USA or Canada and then be flown off to continue on their merry way as a legitimate option.