Antigua closed as BA jet in the mud?

[Bob Brown]

I heard from a BA loader (OK we were in the pub) that one of BA's finest has put one in the mud closing Antigua.
Does anyone have any more information? Is it true even?

[esportadude]

If it were true must have been a 777.

[No comment]

Its true alright and it was a 777. Heading back tomorrow.
They managed to keep that one pretty quiet!

[Bob Brown]

Thanks, I was begining to wonder if my mate was making it up. He said the engineers had to fly into another caribbean island and then use a light a/c to get to the island as the 777 had blocked the runway.

Anyone got any pictures?

[esportadude]

All 777 accounted for at LGW I counted them out and counted then back in ! ;)

[newswatcher]

Interestingly, BA has flight BA2156 due LGW yesterday at 09:10hrs, yet to arrive. Any comment esportadude?

Originally I thought this was an old (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2016024.stm) story, but finally......................found it (http://www.htsstlucia.com/HTS%20News-Jan%208%202003_Britsh%20Airways.htm) :ok:

[Wycombe]

....did notice the other day that the midweek BA UVF-ANU-LGW return was showing a 24hr delay, so might be some truth.

Didn't something similar happen at ANU about a year ago (BA 777 again)?

[esportadude]

I never comment on rumours.......;) ;)

[newswatcher]

esportadude, I hear Specsavers have some good deals at the moment! :p :p

[Oceanic]

Hewanorra would be St Lucia then, not Antigua?

[no sponsor]

It might be the angle at which the photo is taken, but that doesn't look like it sank into the tarmac to me (wrt the BBC story and the pictures on the HTS news).

Actually, there's a huge difference in explanations of each story too.

:}

[newswatcher]

no sponsor two different stories. I thought at first it was a rehash, but eventually managed to find the HTS report, which is contemporary. Daily Mail also reported the incident this morning as at St Lucia.

[russianred]

I was counting on another day here in St Lucia due the BA777 stuck in the sand beside the runway.Just been told all back to normal and we are departing today. Hewanorra runway closed 24 hours

[kaikohe76]

Many moons ago when my hair was not quite so grey and I was flying for HM the Q, I spend the odd detachment at Coolidge / Antigua helping to put down the rebellion on the neighboring island of Anguilla. Quite what fear and dread our two brown Mk1 Andovers put into the rebels we never knew, but the flying was quite superb and in such a lovely setting. I can recall that our payload between Coolidge and Ronald Webster International, seemed to consist either of bobbies form the UK or crates of beer!
Bad luck for the 777 and her gallant crew, possibly a case of `there but the grace of god` etc. However I can think of many worse spots to spend and extra 24 hours than Antigua.

[5415N]

18 months ago a BA777 did indeed get stuck there , but that was due to a mistake by the airport operator and a contractor who incorrectly put down the wrong type of surface and even then did not give it the required hardening time before allowing the 777 to taxi on it

[Young Paul]

How does the fridge magnet go?

"I never repeat a rumour. So listen carefully!"

:O

Sorry, we've moved on, haven't we?