@Depone
Any evidence yet that any FR planes declared any emergency that day in MAD?
Or that they were alone (apart from an alleged KLM plane) that did so?
Just wondering.
The KLM plane did not, as far as I know, declare an emergency, they just stated they had 5 minutes (extra) left.
And there is nothing wrong with that. Some bad weather days, I have to give the same reply to ATC when they ask me how much longer I can stay in a hold. Five minutes and than I have to divert (or better said, choose where to commit)
to land with the required 30 minutes in tanks.
Even taking no drop of extra fuel would make for a safe flight, if you decide to divert early enough.
Declaring a emergency (assuming that is what has happened) only means one thing, something went not according to plan, or the plan was wrong to begin with.
Diverting early enough means you don't have to say mayday, unless really unforseen things happen. The mentioned LAN with an engine failure causing a extra holding delay at your diversion airport can be quite unforseen and bring you in the mayday phase...