Flight returning to airport
 

A couple of years ago my wife was flying out to meet me in NY. She flew Virgin (LHR to JFK). A couple of hours into the flight the pilot announced they were returning to LHR with no explanation given. They landed back at Heathrow two hours later, sat on the tarmac for a while before a new plane was brought up alongside and everyone moved over.

This has always struck me as an odd occurrence and was wondering if anyone could volunteer some possible scenarios as to why this happened? We assume it wasn't a critical emergency as they opted to fly back to Heathrow rather than land at an Irish airport like Shannon which would have been closer, but what set of circumstances would make a pilot turn round like that?

Captains seat was uncomfortable.

Technical problem with aircraft.... sick passenger or crew...? Poor show that the crew didn't keep the pax informed.

His wallet was still in the crew room?

Captain didn't like the crew meals on board? :}

I often remember a pilot telling me about taking off from HKG on the way back to LHR. Just after take off a warning appeared saying one main gear tyre had gently deflated. They consulted with HQ and chose to continue to Heathrow because landing back at HKG with one tyre out in a heavy aircraft was more risk than landing at LHR in a much lighter aircraft. The real question was not whether to tell the pax that the tire had deflated but what to tell them on approach to Heathrow. After all, regulations called for fire trucks etc to be available. Again, a debate, do we alarm the passengers or say nothing? He chose to say nothing until, on the ground and surrounded by flashing blue lights, he simply acknowledged that the lights were for them but since they were on the ground and taxying to the terminal all was ok.

It's one of those many decisions that pilots are paid to make and the dividing line between saying enough and too much is sometimes a fine one.

About 5 years ago was due to fly YYZ-LHR with Air Canada, on a 763, on the "daytime" crossing that leaves YYZ early morning and arrives LHR late evening.

After boarding, noticed that outside some chaps in white overalls were trying to capture liquid emanating from under outer section of stbd wing....looked like a fuel leak.

After a short while, Capt briefs us in very detailed fashion that there is indeed a "small fuel leak, which I would live with if on a short domestic flight, but not as we are going across the ocean".

Within 30mins an identical 763 appears on the adjacent stand, and within another hour we are all transferred (straight seat swap as same config aircraft) and on our way.

Very well handled, and makes all the difference as a pax when kept fully informed and aware that safety was put in front of keeping to sched :ok: (I heard absolutely no one onboard complain about the delay).

Guess the fact that we were at a main base for AC helped of course, but good job none the less.

When we arrived at LHR (having made up a bit of time on the crossing), that very nice AC Concierge who used to feature on the "Airport" Programme was there to greet us and apologise for the delay as we left the aircraft....impressive service.

Was it Moses, by any chance?

(if you'll pardon the pun!)

Knew someone would ask that! No, but it was the guy that "Moses" was obviously based on :D who's name I now can't remember.

You should have been given an explanation, even if it was "for technical reasons", so that is not good. There are numerous reasons why they would have turned around but most likely they couldn't continue under ETOPs due to failure of something. If it is something non-critical, but would stop you going oceanic, then landing at the nearest airport (like Shannon) isn't the most useful option - better to go back to a base where you have engineering and company support coz they have engineers there and can have spares on the way as soon as the pilots call company to tell them of the problem.

It wouldn't be an ETOPS related problem with Virgin, "4 engines for long haul", now changing.

It could have been anything that would have grounded the A/C in JFK, easier to fix at base.
May have been an engine shut down for something like oil loss or vibration.
An engine shut down on a 4 engine aircraft is not a reportable occurrance under the UK MOR system if it doesn't happen during a critical phase of flight, ie. take off or landing.
At least that's the way it used to be.

Ah sorry completely missed the fact it was Virgin!!!

Kelvin Ogunjimi.I think he is still at LHR.