Just reading back through a number of posts, what many here seem to be overlooking is that EK run two A380s a day into MAN. Average pax load factors are in excess of 90%, EK being the first of 3 Gulf carriers to exploit the local market. Manchester has a reputation, not totally deserved, for rain and wind. Contrary to early reports, the wind was 30 degrees off the nose to port at 200 degrees, 17 kts, gusts to 27kts for the first two attempts. For the third attempt it was bang on the nose at 230 degrees at 17kts. At all times the runway was wet, but it is grooved and was in no wetter state than on any other wet late winter/early spring evening. This morning's three LHR A380 diversions faced wind at between 14kts and 16kts from between 310 to 340 degrees with an equally wet runway 05 in use. The EK episode was so obviously a computer glitch it is surprising the crew and ops could not work it out.
Last edited by philbky; 29th Mar 2016 at 13:08.