AirTransat pax phone 911 after 5hrs on tarmac, aircon stops when fuel exhausted
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AirTransat pax phone 911 after 5hrs on tarmac, aircon stops when fuel exhausted
'You can't do this to us': Fuming passengers stuck on planes for hours call 911 - Ottawa - CBC News
"The plane that landed from Brussels lost power because it ran out of fuel, and the resulting lack of air conditioning caused the plane to heat up, the airline added".
Went dark after 4hrs on the ground, 911 called after 5hrs and all seemingly avoidable judging by Ottawa Airport's tweet and press release ;
"We're disappointed @airtransat's response to diversion of flight 157 to YOW. We were ready to assist upon request"
https://yow.ca/en/media-center/press...sat-passengers
"... 20 aircraft diverted to the Ottawa International Airport"..."15 were from international destinations"..."Questions have been raised with respect to one particular flight operated by Air Transat, between Brussels, Belgium and Montreal, Quebec. The aircraft landed in Ottawa at 5:10 pm and departed at 11:00 pm. With respect to this flight, the Airport Authority was in contact with the airline’s local ground handler. We had a gate available and air stairs ready in the event that the airline decided to deplane. We also had buses on the tarmac ready to shuttle passengers to the terminal – buses the Authority purchased specifically for situations such as this. Neither the ground handling service nor the airline requested either of these during the event".
"The plane that landed from Brussels lost power because it ran out of fuel, and the resulting lack of air conditioning caused the plane to heat up, the airline added".
Went dark after 4hrs on the ground, 911 called after 5hrs and all seemingly avoidable judging by Ottawa Airport's tweet and press release ;
"We're disappointed @airtransat's response to diversion of flight 157 to YOW. We were ready to assist upon request"
https://yow.ca/en/media-center/press...sat-passengers
"... 20 aircraft diverted to the Ottawa International Airport"..."15 were from international destinations"..."Questions have been raised with respect to one particular flight operated by Air Transat, between Brussels, Belgium and Montreal, Quebec. The aircraft landed in Ottawa at 5:10 pm and departed at 11:00 pm. With respect to this flight, the Airport Authority was in contact with the airline’s local ground handler. We had a gate available and air stairs ready in the event that the airline decided to deplane. We also had buses on the tarmac ready to shuttle passengers to the terminal – buses the Authority purchased specifically for situations such as this. Neither the ground handling service nor the airline requested either of these during the event".
Looks like a truely deplorable event. Totally unacceptable and is probably going to backfire in a a big way. If the airport authorities of Ottawa react like this, I would expect some careers to end whithin a few days. Horrible.
If the airport authorities of Ottawa react like this
Mustn't have landed with much fuel to have the APU cark it after 4 hrs...
All I know is that when they were scheduled to land in CYUL there were massive thunderstorms with hail reported in the Montreal area (I drove through some of it but not the hail).
I believe the aircraft in question was holding for some time to allow the storms to go through the area but then decided to go on to its alternate CYOW.
What fuel remained onboard at the alternate will surely be part of an investigation.
Still can't figure out why they did not deplane all the pax while they waited to refuel and get on their way back to CYUL, a 20 minute flight.
I believe the aircraft in question was holding for some time to allow the storms to go through the area but then decided to go on to its alternate CYOW.
What fuel remained onboard at the alternate will surely be part of an investigation.
Still can't figure out why they did not deplane all the pax while they waited to refuel and get on their way back to CYUL, a 20 minute flight.
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Yes, deplorable.
but not fault of airport. Please read article again.
4 hours to flameout is about 2000lbs of fuel. It's possible they landed with required reserves but the tank feeding the APU went dry. Still you would have to xpected them to request fuel.
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I very much doubt 2000lbs would come even close to the required 30 minutes of reserve fuel.
Very strange they did not refuel while on the ground after landing. I can't imagine a professional crew just ignoring or forgetting about the fuelstate until the apu dies, so there must be more to it.
Very strange they did not refuel while on the ground after landing. I can't imagine a professional crew just ignoring or forgetting about the fuelstate until the apu dies, so there must be more to it.
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Air Transat is due for a major audit and shake up, the foul ups one sees are a common occurrence, but which outfit gets the endless "experts" ranting away on this site? Well it not ATI This in spite of their total second rate operation and lack of passenger handling skills, the endless threads giving another company abuse are I believe a reflection of the number they employ who didn't get selected by their first choice of airline. As for AT making totally false statements and trying to deflect their own incompetence onto the staff at Ottawa is a further reflection of their total lack of ethics, sadly, I doubt that our so called regulatory body will do stuff all to fine them or shut them down, they would rather chase after private pilots , an easy target and unlikely to have the money to defend themselves! Just cant wait for some gem of wisdom from our so called Minister of Transport!
The amount of total fuel on board on landing and the fuel available to run the APU need not be the same.
Type dependant, the APU can only be fed from one or some tanks and the fuel in the others may be usable only to the engines but not to the APU. Also, there are APU installations around that require a minimum fuel level way above the unusable ullage in their respective supply in order to be run, further limiting the operating time in such a situation.
Now, I will not claim to have any knowledge about relevant systems in the type used by Air Transat, so let me just say this one thing: While this occurrence may well have been easily avoided by calling in for fuel or possibly an external air conditioning (of course in the absence of electric storms leading to a stoppage of handling!), the information given on here does not really allow throwing accusations of landing with lower-than-prescribed fuel.
Type dependant, the APU can only be fed from one or some tanks and the fuel in the others may be usable only to the engines but not to the APU. Also, there are APU installations around that require a minimum fuel level way above the unusable ullage in their respective supply in order to be run, further limiting the operating time in such a situation.
Now, I will not claim to have any knowledge about relevant systems in the type used by Air Transat, so let me just say this one thing: While this occurrence may well have been easily avoided by calling in for fuel or possibly an external air conditioning (of course in the absence of electric storms leading to a stoppage of handling!), the information given on here does not really allow throwing accusations of landing with lower-than-prescribed fuel.
I very much doubt 2000lbs would come even close to the required 30 minutes of reserve fuel.
Very strange they did not refuel while on the ground after landing. I can't imagine a professional crew just ignoring or forgetting about the fuelstate until the apu dies, so there must be more to it.
Very strange they did not refuel while on the ground after landing. I can't imagine a professional crew just ignoring or forgetting about the fuelstate until the apu dies, so there must be more to it.
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There must, logically, be circumstances where it acceptable to use your "reserve" and land practically empty, otherwise it's not really "reserve fuel", it's ballast!
I'd have thought it very possible they arrived at Montreal, their intended destination, with a perfectly acceptable fuel remaining, but then the combination of a hold at montreal (which may have exceeded the nominal hold for planning?) and then the diversion to ottawa used up most of that fuel?
Ah come on guys,
Stop babbling about APU fuel usage and/or aircraft system availability. Cut the crap. When passengers start calling 911, you KNOW that you have made a serious mistake.
Stop babbling about APU fuel usage and/or aircraft system availability. Cut the crap. When passengers start calling 911, you KNOW that you have made a serious mistake.
Not the first time Pax on an aircraft diverted to YOW and left sitting in the weeds have called 911. Happened a couple of years ago..can not remember details..TV and Newspaper outrage...great uproar.."things will be done" from the airline and the airport...followed by "crickets".
I assume the same process will occur in this case..much surprise, shock and expressions of concern followed by a roaring silence.
I assume the same process will occur in this case..much surprise, shock and expressions of concern followed by a roaring silence.
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What about FTL. Reports mention landed after eight hour flight + 6 hrs sitting on tarmac. Sounds very much like delay exacerbated by crewing issues.
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I've had mostly good experiences with AT.
However I was delayed a few years ago, due to weather (snow), for four hours on the tarmac prior to departure at YYZ. We got some water.
So while not nearly as bad as the other day for those traveling AT, don't expect EU style compensation.
However I was delayed a few years ago, due to weather (snow), for four hours on the tarmac prior to departure at YYZ. We got some water.
So while not nearly as bad as the other day for those traveling AT, don't expect EU style compensation.
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Does the APU really burn 75 gallons of jet fuel per hour (if my calculation of 2000 pounds equivalent is right)? I am only familiar with diesel but that would be a 1000 kW generator at full load, which barely fits onto a flatbed truck and would easily power a shopping mall. I think jet fuel has a greater power density than diesel.
Seriously asking, trying to learn. Thanks.
Seriously asking, trying to learn. Thanks.