Availability of alternate airports

[buzzc152]

Hi all

I'm trying to understand the processes involved from an ATC/airport coordination point of view when we need to divert. Imagine the scenario, London (or other big city) is fogged out and everyone is diverting.

1) Is the airport filed on the FPL aware that it is the filed alternate for a given flight ?
2) Who, if anyone, is responsible for overseeing how many flights are filing a particular alternate ?
3) If the above fog scenario happens, what is the process for managing capacity at the alternate airport. Let's say 30 flights want to go to East Mids but they can only accept 20.
I'm especially interested in this from a GA/Corporate aviation viewpoint. Do you guys in ATC talk direct with the FBO's at the alternate airport to establish capacity As flight crew, is there any info we should give you when we declare need to divert e.g. what FBO, handler we are using ?

Thanks for your answers.

[terrain safe]

1) Nope
2) No one
3) The airport will say no after the 20 are co-ordinated by Swanwick. Basically, AC or TC at Swanwick will phone EGNX ATC. ATC will then talk to the airport authority who will say yes or no. EGNX will then contact Swanwick and tell them how many will be accepted.

Who your handling agent is useful so the airport know who to contact to see is there will be anyone there.

[chevvron]

There's a paragraph in the Farnborough AIP entry telling all operators to book PPR if they wish to declare Farnborough as an alternate and reminding them that merely filing a flight plan does NOT constitute a request for PPR. It also adds the Ops frequency to contact for short notice diversions.
I know it's there 'cos I wrote it!!

[EastofKoksy]

As you can see from the previous answers you cannot assume that because an airfield is a nominated alternate they actually know you might be coming. I know this doesn't really make sense but that is the way it is.

When diversions are likely, the ATC centre will contact airfields and will be told how many aircraft e.g 777, 321/320 they can accept. The question airfields almost always ask is "who is the handling agent?" If you don't have one the diversion will probably be refused.