ANA 175 LAX-NRT turn around
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I'm guessing there was a security imperative to return immediately.
If his checked luggage inadvertently went on a different flight perhaps that set
off alarm bells.
If his checked luggage inadvertently went on a different flight perhaps that set
off alarm bells.
Perhaps had no checked luggage. Or was removed from the other flight when he failed to board it. Either way... the checked luggage issue doesn't seem grounds for turning ANA Flight 175 around.
But, as you say, "Security procedures aren't known for their flexibility."
I'm afraid that 24h after the fact this story still doesn't make any sense...
How did he end up on the wrong flight? Headcount, anyone?
How did they spot the issue 4 hours into the flight?
Why did they turn back?
This is really a weird one...
How did he end up on the wrong flight? Headcount, anyone?
How did they spot the issue 4 hours into the flight?
Why did they turn back?
This is really a weird one...
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The brothers had 'similar' names but apparently not identical names and were both heading to Tokyo but on different airlines. I'll guess the brother in question was booked on UA32 which is scheduled to depart about an hour earlier.
Maybe a simple explanation but from a security perspective, if he had luggage on UA32 which was already in the air I would have expected that aircraft to divert as well. Either way you're correct - very strange and something doesn't quite add up.
Maybe he just didn't want to fly UAL - they've had a tough year
Maybe a simple explanation but from a security perspective, if he had luggage on UA32 which was already in the air I would have expected that aircraft to divert as well. Either way you're correct - very strange and something doesn't quite add up.
Maybe he just didn't want to fly UAL - they've had a tough year
Last edited by b1lanc; 28th Dec 2017 at 01:15.
Headcount? On a widebody? not these days.
Most airlines have the barcode scanners to do that job, in 13 years I only ever did a headcount on planes under 50 pax, when remote boarding or when there were unaccounted for pax and the numbers didn't add up.
On a widebody, at a modern airport jetbridge with barcode ticket scanners, the responsibility is on the gate staff to match the count.
The crew at the door do check tickets yes, but with the way pax rush on like stampeding cattle and snatching the stub away barking their seat number, you're lucky to get a proper look. Personally I used to get a hold of the boarding pass and not let go til I could properly check it, but not all crew are that assertive. There could also be cultural issues or inexperienced crew in the equation too.
Most airlines have the barcode scanners to do that job, in 13 years I only ever did a headcount on planes under 50 pax, when remote boarding or when there were unaccounted for pax and the numbers didn't add up.
On a widebody, at a modern airport jetbridge with barcode ticket scanners, the responsibility is on the gate staff to match the count.
The crew at the door do check tickets yes, but with the way pax rush on like stampeding cattle and snatching the stub away barking their seat number, you're lucky to get a proper look. Personally I used to get a hold of the boarding pass and not let go til I could properly check it, but not all crew are that assertive. There could also be cultural issues or inexperienced crew in the equation too.
Maybe the two guys weren't "Bad Boys", but it just proves that the real "Bad Boys" can do whatever they want to do whenever they want to do it, meanwhile we "honest injuns" have to put up with all the so-called "security" nonsense that makes flying such a drag these days.
Headcount? On a widebody? not these days.
Somehow they still managed to board more passengers than expected, which shows some quite splopy ground procedures.
Still, I don't quite understand how they came to the realisation that they had the guy on board after 4h (unless he volunteered the information) ? And still don't understand why they would turn back. If anything I would have expected the other flight with his unaccompanied luggage to divert. But why this flight ?
After ANA had bribed the other 200+ passengers not to talk about it, you mean ?
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The men from Mars must be looking down and deciding that now is the time to invade!
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And why is there any security issue at all? LAX has central security; afaik all passengers go through the same security regardless of destination, and all other people on airside will have been screened as well; no problem that the passengers was intended on another flight.
So probably the issue is immigration at Japan.
Now if it had been the other way around (unintended passenger on it's way to the US) hell would break loose, perhaps that influenced the decision.
A taste of one's own medicine?
So probably the issue is immigration at Japan.
Now if it had been the other way around (unintended passenger on it's way to the US) hell would break loose, perhaps that influenced the decision.
A taste of one's own medicine?
Last edited by golfyankeesierra; 28th Dec 2017 at 17:19.
It happens from time to time
One elderly couple ended up in Sydney Nova Scotia on their way to Australia. Really the middle of nowhere unless you are connecting to St Pierre et Miquelon
A boy not much over the UM age in San Diego boarded a flight to Auckland instead of Oakland with some assistance from the Kiwi accent
A boy not much over the UM age in San Diego boarded a flight to Auckland instead of Oakland with some assistance from the Kiwi accent
The boy was 22 apparently.
Oakland, He Said, but He Went to Auckland Instead - latimes
Oakland, He Said, but He Went to Auckland Instead - latimes
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Must be more to it or company insisted.
I once carried out a totally unnecessary en-route diversion because company insisted.
I knew they were such prats that they'd have made a huge issue of it if I hadn't..
I once carried out a totally unnecessary en-route diversion because company insisted.
I knew they were such prats that they'd have made a huge issue of it if I hadn't..
True, but we knew much more about the current situation and the diversion was more hazardous than continuing to destination.
Had it been my previous big airline there would have been no problem. Trust me; this lot had got themselves into a crew politics hole.
As is said: No names, no pack drill
Had it been my previous big airline there would have been no problem. Trust me; this lot had got themselves into a crew politics hole.
As is said: No names, no pack drill
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I once boarded a flight from Montego bay to Kingston with a friend. We had been travelling for around 40 hours and were unaware of a hour's time difference from previous airport and arrived at the gate an hour early. bags were checked and a security guy dropped an expensive camera just in front of us. I guess that's why they didn't really look at our boarding passes. On board I found my seat occupied and thought I was getting an upgrade because the flight was overbooked but they kicked us off because we were on a flight back to the US. My friend's seat was free and if mine would have been too I think it would have taken at least an hour before I would have realized I was on the wrong plane.... These days boarding passes are scanned...
I'm not saying that the decision to return was correct.. for some countries it can be a nightmare (Eg Indonesia, India, Nigeria....) but I would have thought Japan was ok as they have good relations with the states.
Anilv
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My best guess (and it's just a guess) is that one of the brothers bought a refundable ticket on UA,checked in to get past security, and then cancelled his reservation. The other brother then maybe printed his boarding pass twice so they both could use it. When the second one went to board, the scanner beeped that he already had gone past, which was probably dismissed as a glitch since there he was standing there with his passport matching the last name on the boarding pass. I don't know why they returned, but one advantage of doing so was that they could be arrested, since the "crime" occurred in the US before they boarded.