Here's an audio clip of ORD scanner traffic around the time of the incident:
http://archive-server.liveatc.net/ko...2008-1830Z.mp3
Around 10:55 into the clip AA 268 says he's declaring an emergency, seems to know he'll need a lot of runway and extra time to get off. Loss of left hydraulics with no PTU perhaps?
At 14:41 in the audio clip BA 295 gets a go around followed by similar instructions to UA 679 and VS 39, not sure which runway they were going to initially.
No problems to use 22R for a 340 on a normal day. I'm sure BA wouldn't have any issues either in a 777 or 747.
Yep, 772's and 340's do operate off the 'B' runway in NRT which is shorter than 22R. Still, was 22L not available for an emergency landing? It's over 10,000 feet long...