Originally Posted by
DC10RealMan
I seem to remember that having sold the long-range Tristar 500s British Airways acquired some South American routes from British Caledonian for which the Tristar 500s were ideal had they not already sold them. They flew the new routes with the shorter range Tristars and we at Heathrow ATC regularly received Diversion Arrival signals from Madrid as they had had to divert to refuel.
This is likely what prompted the lease of the pair from Air Lanka.