Imagine the fact Newcastle is dealing with alot of snow aswell as the route to get any diverted PAX back across the boarder being virtually impassable due to snow might of made PIK a better choice this time round.

Time for the pilots to plan in DXB before flight for a PIK arrival. EK staff based at Glasgow have time to get so PIK to set everything up. Border Force staff from Glasgow can get to PIK. Only two Border Force Staff on shift at PIK at any one time unless helped by GLA. Busses booked in advance, need I add more. Planned divert is easier to organise than one where it’s changed after 3 attempts to get into GLA.

Uh-huh............................

Good to see Emirates learned something from that debacle of a diversion to NCL in January and hopefully preparedness for planned or unplanned diversion now sees common sense in action.

Pik3141
Great choice of words as the Newcastle divert instead of prestwick was just that.Glad to see some common sense has finally prevailed in the EK ops.Egpk has been the least inconvenient divert for the passengers and crew and at the moment prestwick was the only airport capable and prepared for flights that otherwise would never have left Dubai.

Pretty stupid closing a airport with a good weather record, unless you are a bean counter. If this is the case, god help us.

If pax disemberk-even if they remain airside, another security screnning may well be mandatory under DoT and EU rules.

I was on EK385 in October 2011 when it diverted into HYD whilst en route BKK-DXB and all pax had to be re-screeened before re-boarding. And said pax went directly from the airplane to security, then to the departure lounge.

Yes, that's another example of silly DfT rulings (Nothing to do with European rules). However, the requirement can be waived under certain circumstances. An Aer Lingus diverted into MAN a few weeks ago and EI operations had to prove to the MAN Duty manager that all the pax were unaware that the aircraft would divert to MAN at the start of their journey. All pax were allowed to stay on board.

Very impressive now I'd love to see a photo of that :-)

Not quite, EK2502 had no pax on the ferry back to Dubai. Why? Who knows.

They all went on the cc and Nt flights ?. !!!

People are still sour that Newcastle "stole" the 777 from Prestwick?

God, I was happy to see two triples on the ground at NCL, purely for the novelty factor... But seriously who gives a flying f***?

How exactly was it a debacle of a diversion, PIK3141? The aircraft made multiple attempts to land at it's final destination... Unable, the pilots made an informed decision to divert to Newcastle, an existing EK station, with in house staff and handling available... Not to mention the fact that Newcastle will have been a pre-determined alternate long before the pilots even stepped foot on the aircraft in Dubai. The aircraft, all of its passengers and crew made it to their final destinations safe, albeit with a slight delay.

Extremely well handled in my opinion, I'm sorry you're butthurt about not seeing the triple at PIK on that occasion, but I hope that's been more than made up for today. I presume the relevant parties at Emirates had a read through this thread and realised the error of their ways

2 x EK 777's @ EGPK today, and I'll bet most of the pax from the local Glasgow area are delighted they landed 29 miles (that's what it says on the signpost outside the airport) from Glasgow.
If the NCL EK landed at GLA on a diversion would you be happy, or would you have preferred say Durham Tees Valley?

Pictures on twitter @gpapassenger

Thanks for the link Skip.

Some l good pics although hopefully someone has taken a photo showing both the EK 777's in view in a full shot, there are videos online as well but only of them taking off.

I'd be happy to leave it to the professionals who are in possession of all the facts, and not try and second guess them.

In your personal opinion would you prefer, as a pax on the NCL flight, to land at PIK or MME?

Passengers would prefer to land as close to their intended destination as possible.

That is why, when there is enough prior notice that a flight will be diverted, both the airline and new airport can prepare for the arriving aircraft. In the case of EK diverts to PIK, Emirates sent staff to PIK, and PIK received additional border control and ground staff from GLA, in order to meet the aircraft immediately on arrival.

However, when there is no prior notice that a flight will be diverted, it is better to divert to an airport where the airline already has a presence. In the case of the EK divert to NCL whereby the aircraft made several failed landing attempts at GLA, it would not have made sense to divert to PIK as neither Emirates nor PIK would have been prepared to handle the aircraft immediately upon arrival. It would have taken several hours to notify and transport staff and equipment from GLA to PIK. Passengers would have spent hours on the ground with no Emirates representatives. Diverting to NCL meant that the aircraft was met immediately upon arrival by the appropriate ground crew and EK staff required.

Astonishing, isn’t it.

I have no skin in this particular game, so I’m particularly bothered which airport EK divert to. I just found the faux-outrage of PIK fanboys last time round a bit depressing.

It does make me laugh when enthusiasts start lecturing professionals or making smug remarks about “lessons learned”. When EK diverted to NCL a few weeks ago, I have no doubt at all it was the best choice given the information known and the time available. And I have no doubt at all that the more recent diversion to PIK was exactly the same. Well done to EK in both cases.

Some enthusiasts are professionals and are well placed to spot stupidity when it occurs.