BA 109 LHR-DXB Turns Back over Cyprus w/o Transponder

[gulf_slf]

The BA 109 (30/10/02) returned to LHR after an apparent transponder failure after nearly 4 hours into the flight.

The right decision given that the 777 was flying in to various Middle Eastern airspace controls, who would be less than undertsanding if the a/c could not identified?
So what happens as the flt goes back up the line the way it came?

However the communication with the ground in Dubai was the usual shambles!!

The flight arrivals number informed us that the flight was still on time and continued to state that it was on time for an hour after the ETA! Not a recording but a manned desk!
The flight Indicator boards at DXB showed 'to be notified' which indiscates something sinister, rather than a more more neutral message such as 'delayed' !

British Airways need to get their communications lines sorted out with the authorities and clearly tell them what the status is, so that they in turn can inform callers and update the information boards accurately.

At times when tensions are running high in the world especially in this area, BA needs to make sure that the friends and relatives waiting for an incoming flight are clearly informed of what is happening !!

[Anthony Carn]

If this was indeed a transponder failure, then why not land en-route and have it fixed ? :confused:

[gulf_slf]

Thats what I am hoping that somebody in the forum can answer?

Any 'Nigel's about who really know what the issue was?

[E. MORSE]

If passengers have questions like this one,

Shouldn't it be on the Pax and SLF thing at the bottom of this bulletin board ?

[BlueEagle]

Given that modern aircraft have more than one transponder and each transponder has more than one mode it is highly unlikely that the aircraft did turn back due to 'transponder failure', unless it lost the lot, in which case it probably lost a whole lot more?.

Eventually the truth will out

[xyz_pilot]

Anthony Carn


To fix the aircraft you need parts, the closest parts could well be in london. It all depends on whats fited to the BA 777.

Then you need crew, if you land on route and can fix the prob the crew will be out of hours. Then you are into 10 - 11 hours rest as a minimum (the BA rules may alow the full 12 hours).

All in all I can see how the best thing was to go back to london and start again with a different AC and crew.

[Tuba Mirum]

EM, I can't see him getting an informed answer on the SLF forum, can you? I see this as a reasonable place to post this query, though I would agree that in general, threads here should be left for aviation professionals.

I confess my interest as SLF myself.

[spannersatcx]

Given that modern aircraft have more than one transponder and each transponder has more than one mode it is highly unlikely that the aircraft did turn back due to 'transponder failure' BlueEagle you may well be right, however, I once had a 744 that had perfectly serviceable transponders but the transponder control panel display had failed and were therfore unable to put the code in or change it, this may well be something similar in this case. :)

[canberra]

i think people have missed the point of the initial post. why were ba in dxb not telling anyone anything? i suspect that the problem may be down to the ba people in dxb. i dont want to sound racist but ive had problems when trying to get details about flights from foreigners. a great many countries class details about flights as classified information, some(italy for example) even make the weather classified!