Curious SLF

[Carnydude]

Am Slf with an interest in this website. Was on LH3303 WAW to FRA 30 June...we were just about to touch down in the runway at FRA about 1615hrs when the pilot powered up and we went up again. We seemed to be literaly feet ( if not inches !! ) from the tarmac. Female cabin crew very quickly on tannoy to reassure, and shortly after the capt. came on apologising and claiming '..someone was on the runway..'. This is the first time anything like this has happened to me and and very curious to see if anyone can provide more details. Thought all involved dealt with it very well and it did not deter me from continuing my onward journey to MAN with LH later that day.

[funfly]

Carnydude,
Welcome to the forum.
Pilot had most likely heard of the latest BA statement and wanted a little time to see if it was worth bothering landing.

[Andy_S]

shortly after the capt. came on apologising and claiming '..someone was on the runway..'.

You don't say whether he made this announcement in English. If so, perhaps something got lost in translation. My guess is that the previous aircraft hadn't yet left the runway.

It sounds pretty routine, and obviously it was handled entirely professionally.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

At busy airfields with a consistently high landing rate there may be several such events per day. There are a number of possible factors, the majority of which are "routine" so you may hear nothing further. Don't let it deter you from flying.

[Carnydude]

Capt. made the announcement in German then English so I reported what he 'literally' said in English...so it may well have been 'lost in translation' what he was getting at. Thanks to all for the input...never realised it was an everyday occurrence.

[Dawdler]

Same thinghappened to a flight I was on, coming into BHX. The announcement was "The aircraft below us was a bit tardy taking off". The thought did occur to me that ATC would have then had to stop the other aircraft taking off as soon as our Captain annouce his go around.

[Avman]

The thought did occur to me that ATC would have then had to stop the other aircraft taking off as soon as our Captain annouce his go around.

That's exactly what they would have done. Or, if the departure was already well on his way but still on the runway, ATC would have given your a/c a heading to ensure good seperation.

Carnydude, go-arounds are indeed every day occurences at airports around the world, but rare enough for most pax to ever experience one. In my 52 years flying (as pax), I can only remember 2 due to preceding a/c still on runway, and 2 fairly benign ones due to weather (shooting an approach in fog - long ago prior to today's modern aids).

[Carnydude]

Thanks to all for the information. My appetite is now satisfied.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<The thought did occur to me that ATC would have then had to stop the other aircraft taking off as soon as our Captain annouce his go around.>>

Most likely scenario would have been that ATC initiated the go-around rather than the pilot and ATC is there to ensure that the go-around is safely separated from other traffic and to feed it back into the approach sequence.

[Rainboe]

At places like Heathrow, it happens frequently. Very frequently. Pilots look up and laugh when they are in the car park and it happens. You even see it at Gatwick, but not so commonly. All it takes is a pilot slow to get rolling, or slow clearing the runway, and the next plane behind has to go around. Not at all dangerous. Amusing to watch, knowing someone is separated from his gin and tonic for another 15-20 minutes. Excitement rating? maybe 3/10, no more.

[The SSK]

Inspired the immortal PA address from a BOAC Captain waiting in the take-off queue as an incoming Pan Am went around:

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you look out of your left hand window you will see the World's Most Experienced Airline having one of its experiences".