Diversions
 

Just saw that LGW closed until tomorrow. Question is where are all the flights being diverted to?. Also why isn`t LHR shut?
Regards 4es

LHR area has had much less snow than LGW area.

Some MON & TOM flights late last night went to LTN. Majority of the LGW program has been totally cancelled. I think some of the long haul stuff went to LHR.

Thanks for that. Just thought that some exotic types might appear elsewhere in the UK.
:ok:

Was watching on Planeplotter last night and a few went into Stansted late on (11ish).

As to why LGW was closed and LHR not, I am sure it has to do with the fact that LGW has only one runway, is probably higher (??) and I think that the south end of London and into the Sussex seemed to be more in the line of the snow.

Luckily we have no major airports near me (in Derbyshire) because we are seeing more snow then I have ever seen. We currently have 40 cm of lying snow with more predicted.

Cheers, Andy S

Not much white stuff at LHR, only last night. We had a moderate wet snow covering. One runway was shut for half an hour for de-icing and braking action testing.

Most shorthaul never left origins. Long haul would use their enroute diversions, not worth risking coming into EGTT with so much disruption around the region. Wait it out somewhere with tech support, good facilities and transit facilities that can handle so many passengers probably without visa's....

BA long hauls would probably slip into LHR un-noticed as would VS. (Excuse the pun) Shellsuit south terminal (what is it called now BAA have given up LGW...?) are mostly non-ops such as FR/EZ and others would not operate from local airports.

1 TOM 757 from ACE and 1 MON 321 Medina via PFO div to CWL last night.

Both a/c still there. Also CWL based 757 not going anywhere today as no schedule planned.

Would make sense for TOM to bus the passengers to CWL and use the 2 a/c. Crewing permitting!

A LGW long haul BA 777 went into BHX this morning.

LGW traffic wise, there have been:

3x B777 of BA at BHX, as well as a B767 of TOM

4x B747 of VS, 1x US A332, 1x A333 of DL, 1x B777 of BA to LHR

2x B777 of BA, 2x B767 of TOM, 1x A332 of TCX at MAN

1x IL96 of Cubana at STN

some TOM/TCX to LTN

LBA diversions

1x B737 of LS to EMA

2x B737 of Ryanair to LPL

1x A310 of PK to MAN

Gatwick had a fair load of snow last night and through the night-6 ins of snow at 06.00 this am and nearly 2 more ins since then
Think they did well to keep going till 22.00 hours last night and then it got worse!
Hopefully things will be better tomorrow!

Along the same lines.

I have just seen two RYR flights divert from LPL to EMA. Now, with the little I know as SLF, it would have been much more sensible to divert to MAN as I am sure most passengers would prefer to be nearer to LPL and the journey back over the Pennines tonight will be a little tricky to say the least.

Does anyone know RYR's policy other then to save every penny and sod the passengers? I know they have based aircraft at EMA and so from their point of view it would be probably better to go there.

Any info welcome, Andy S

Impossible to bus pax as coach companies airlines use are refusing to even posn crew in this weather!

<<Now, with the little I know as SLF, it would have been much more sensible to divert to MAN>>

So, you are questioning the decisions of the professional crew... Dare you to post that in the aircrew forum.

Local Radio have just given out LGW shut till at least 10.00 tomorrow!Nightmare!

AndyS wrote "...and the journey back over the Pennines tonight will be a little tricky to say the least."

No need to "cross the Pennines". Quickest road route is A50, A500, M6 - not far off level all the way.

Dont know what the weatehr situation at MAN is, but EMA as a base would be easier for FR operationally, both in crew terms and in having people on the ground to deal with the arising issues (as much as FR do). And anyway, when NCL was closed for the off-piste event the other week, BA diverted an LHR-NCL aircraft back to LHR.....

BTW, as an ex Derbyshire resident, whereabouts are you roughly? I've seen close to 40cm lying in Belper before :)

MD

Heathrow Director,

my mistake. Two words in the wrong order can make all the difference.

Should have said:-
<<Now, with the little I know as SLF, would it have been much more sensible to divert to MAN>>

I only ask because aircarft were coming and going to MAN no problems but RYR choose EMA. The aircraft are on their way back to LPL now.

Will the passengers have had to get off and make their own way or allowed to stay on board for the quick ferry back?


Midland Deltic

I am in Chesterfield and the snow is still coming down to add to the piles of it all around. Happy days. Another day off work. :D:D


Andy S

MAN is accepting no more diversions till 1200 tomorrow unless it's an emergency. The PK A310 that came in must have been the last one to request diverting in prior to this restriction coming in place - MAN is concentrating on keeping it's own services going as best as possible before having additional aircraft arrive.

- why do you assume it was the crew's decision? 9/10 this sort of decision would have come from the company and executed if agreed as safe by the crew. There would be little sense in diverting somewhere where there might be:

no support
no handling agent
no transport
limited parking
etc
etc

I think Andy was questioning the decision?

If the US Airways was LGW traffic; it should have been a A333.

The A332 is used into LHR.

I was wondering what happens in the following scenario? The example I give is for easyJet.

Imagine you have a flight from Gatwick to Paris. If the return flight departs to London and then Gatwick closes while the flight is underway, the flight diverts to an alternate airport (probably Luton or Stansted seeing as these are both easy bases). Right?

But if LGW closes just before the return flight departs, could you still depart anyway and change the destination, informing the passengers that they're now going to Luton/Stansted? I imagine this would benefit many passengers in that they'd arrive at another London airport rather than remaining stranded in Paris. Does this happen?

Also, if you are Gatwick-based easyJet crew and you divert to Luton/Stansted, do you have to make your own way home across London? Or does the company put you up in a hotel at the diversion airport because they are going to need you to re-position the aircraft back to Gatwick when it re-opens (i.e. today, Friday)?

I appreciate there are many considerations and variables here, as BOAC says, but I wondered if a professional pilot could explain a little what happens in the above scenario?

I've only had one divert (owing to fog at departure airport), & the non-loco airline laid on a coach for us & drove us from Antwerp to Rotterdam, in time to get another of their later flights, & we arrived a couple of hours late at our original destination of LCY. Couldn't fault the service (and the sight of the red port-lights on the huge concrete towers at Rotterdam port just peeping above the nighttime fog, like giant alien eyes was something else).

However, do the likes of Ryanair, Easyjet etc. do this, or is it "Tough. Get yourself to another airport & we'll sell you/give you another flight". Not trying to bash anyone, I just don't know what the situation is.