MSR985 escorted into PIK
 

Two Typhoons from Leuchars have just escorted an Egyptair 777 (MSR985) into PIK after a security warning. Landed safely at 1425

That might explain the number of flashing blue lights rushing down the M77 at around the same time...

Ongoing Incident
 

BBC Report: BBC News - Cairo to New York plane diverted after 'problem' Not much 'news'...

Edit.
Another report [Flight from Cairo to New York City grounded at Prestwick Airport | Scotland | News | STV] seems to show the plane parked away from airport buildings.

They just had a live chat on Radio 4 with one of the pax - apparently they are all still being held on board

http://www.pprune.org/airlines-airpo...stwick-59.html

says note left in onboard toilet saying "I will set this plane on fire"

should be easy to find the drunk responsible...............

Unbelievable. :ugh:

Been discussed before but what is the logic of keeping pax on board with a "probability" of a device being on board?

As a Captain I would have felt very uncomfortable about this situation. Who carries the can if a device explodes and kills/injures pax?

How many times has this type of message been found over the years? Never seen a reaction like this before.

One wonders. As am sure you know each threat is assessed - in the case of an a/c going from Cairo to New York that might add a few extra points.

Egyptair is dry!

Bob, as 737 said, "unbelievable".

Leaving notes in the bog isn't really a credible threat is it? No reason not to keep pax on board if the threat isn't credible for whatever reason.

Over reaction? It's a sign of the times, isn't it - overreacting to a ridiculous level. Look at the charade of "security", crew threatened with confiscation of passes for wearing roadmender's vests undone, mandatory MORs for a go-around, treating a metal teaspoon as a threat to an aircraft's safety, assuming there is a "device" on board when a note in the bog suggests setting a fire - instead of thinking it's far more likely to be just be a box of matches, and then scrambling fighters. Do they carry air to air fire extinguishers, if not what's the point? I could go on. And on...;)

763Jock - twice in 2006 @ PIK, 1 Ryanair, 1 Northwest - both kept pax on board for some time.
fireflybob - Often wonder what would have happened if crew popped the chutes (it's their necks at risk too) & everyone bailed out & ran away !

On it's own I agree but maybe others are party to extra information.

With you all the way there, Agaricus bisporus!

off watch, my style also!

All roads around PIK closed for several hours. Hundreds of plods in X5 beemers etc.
Utter lunacy.

Probably worried about illegal immigrants when they deplane eventually.

Not to mention the teams of counsellors for the passengers.

One presumes that as this aircraft has been required to land en route this has been assessed as a Red Bomb warning?

Roads were only closed while aircraft landed, opened again 10 minutes after landing. Dont know who reports all this rubbish

Obviously that's the policy but it needs to be explaned why the pax are put under so much extra stress.

As for popping the chutes, it seems the logical thing to do just in case the threat does turn out to be real and you need to get the pax off quickly.

BBC journo who found the note said in an interview that they had landed in "Ireland". So it's now Belfast Aldergrove, Belfast City and Belfast Prestwick :ugh:

There is no way that people should be going down slides for this type of "threat". This ranks along with the simpletons who "have a bomb in their bag" when asked. Unless there was some other credible threat to this flight, this is another massive waste of time and money.

If I ever find such a note, I think I'll quietly pop it in the bin.

ZeBedie, so would I.