Originally Posted by
EpsilonPilot
LPMA was certainly entertaining yesterday. Lots of aircraft in extended holds, some diverting nearby, some to Canaries. One TAP made 1 approach and high tailed it back to Lisbon.
Can imagine the difficulties that arise thereafter with crew and aircraft scheduling.
HA! I was one of the affected PAX watching on FR24 on the Terminal balcony wondering if I was going to get home in time for an appointment early the next day! You may have noted that 2 x Ryan Air flights held at cruise levels (FL320 and 330 from memory) to save fuel and thereby delaying their divert decision time significanty. Due to the much higher holding levels and the associated 'need for (most economical) speed' their holding patterns were were far larger than those that had descended on the arrival STAR on the assumption they could commence their approaches on reaching the fix, but subsequently held at intermediate levels (circa FL100). Indeed it was was one of the Ryan Air's that made the first attempt when the wind started to moderate and got in with a textbook RNAV-AR approach and excellent landing in the prevailing conditions - kudos Captain 👏. I am grateful to 'my' Jet2 Captain who made an early decision to divert to Porto Santo (circa 30nm away with a N/S runway) and snaffle one of the limited parking slots there but put him at the front of the 'Le Mans start' queue when word of the first successful approach and landing got out! We were only 3 hours late getting home as a result. 👍 Good effort!