Virgin diversion to Gander
 

BBC are reporting the following:
BBC News - Heathrow passengers left stranded overnight in Canada

I wonder why they chose Gander rather than Saint John's ? Having been to both Gander is only a small town and is miles away from anywhere that could offer a large amount of hotel rooms at short notice.

Not the appropriate forum to publish this message. Is any?

Various news sources are talking about a fuel problem .

When choosing a diversion a few of the questions are:

• Where are we now?
• What height are we?
• How long since we began to be concerned?
• Nature of the warnings given by the systems?
• Timings of those warnings?
• What are the SOPS?
• Distance to possible diverts?
• Headings possible diverts?
• Wind to possible diverts?
• What facilties at the diverts?
• The entire previous experience of the flight crew.
• Etcetera ...

These and other questions may have to be answered in 30 minutes or 30 seconds.

As I understand it, Gander is a well established divert and has considerable experence of receiving diverts. Unfortunate that folks could not get hotel rooms - but they are safe on the ground and will remember that longer than anything else.

JES: why not
 

Sorry to disagree, but what is the purpose of PP if not to discuss.

Pax Boy: that's a good list, and I totally agree.

Ability of divert to support aircraft pax and crew is vital if the problem is not a fire ball en route to earth.

Also if an ETOPS flight, then en route alternates are designated. The airline also has an agreement with the alternates.

The weather at the various alternates is relevant, and not know at present.

Glf