Originally Posted by
FullWings
As an occasional visitor to SFO, this has been an interesting thread. I feel now that this is more about a systemic issue that unfortunately brought a customer and the service provider into conflict, which prompted some unprofessional behaviour from both parties.
In an ideal world, ATC would have created a small gap (didn’t need to be much) by speeding up / slowing down / vectoring other traffic, then filed a report with the regulator, airline and the airport authority explaining why this particular situation could cause capacity issues if it became widespread. I don’t think allowing one aircraft a little more space would have had much/any of a measurable effect on flow rates that night, but can absolutely see that if a significant proportion of arrivals demanded the ILS with procedural separation there would be knock-on effects. LH don’t plan to arrive after dark, so this was a rare or even unique situation for them, and possibly for ATC too...
LH knew they were going to arrive after dark that night, and that their own SOPs placed an operational restriction on them in darkness. A mandatory Part of the "System" is the filling of a
Flight Plan, and in that Flight Plan there are areas where the Operator lists equipment and capabilities. Just after the Destination, Alternates spaces there is an area,
Block 18, used for the purpose of conveying to ATC information of significance for their attention. Among the items of significance are Nav, Comm, Datalink, Special Handling, etc.
That space for ATC also allows one to transmit info using plain-language text. For instance:
"RMK NO VIS APPCH"
An operational restriction that doesn't allow certain type of approaches at the Destination and Alternate, would certainly be considered significant enough that it should have been filed on the Flight Plan to alert ATC at the destination. LH knew they would be arriving after dark on that flight and the forecast was mostly likely for VMC conditions.
ATC isn't a fast food restaurant nor is the Operator a "customer" that's always right...the Operator has responsibilities to meet when using the system as well. One responsibility is filing an accurate Flight Plan to convey the information ATC needs to provide the service . If LH didn't even attempt to notify ATC of the restriction at their destination in that night's Flight Plan, the problem isn't the system, it was that they didn't use it.
Does anyone know if LH filed a Flight Plan that conveyed this operationally-important information?