Weather & Technical Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

[HPsauce]

Departures today to Canaries and Madeira have been taking a lengthy detour off Runway 33. Heading North west towards Dublin area before turning south!. Presumably to find favourable winds?. It's quite odd to see on FR24. Nice to see a few holiday destinations creeping back in

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Departures today to Canaries and Madeira have been taking a lengthy detour off Runway 33. Heading North west towards Dublin area before turning south!. Presumably to find favourable winds?.

Are French Air Traffic on strike yet again?

Kevin

 

[Nethercote2019]

Wait til after Jan 1/ Brexit- you can be sure the French will not be makino things easy!

 

[Karl C]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's to do with cheaper air traffic control fees. Maybe cheaper to not use french airspace??

 

[mullion]

Correct

 

[JENNYJET]

There are strikes generally in France over a new security law in the republic concerning photography of Police and Gendarmerie personnel. Wild cat stuff the unions are good at. Some protests turned ugly and violence occurred.

 

[David_itl]

MAN is snow closed at the moment, This is what 's diverted to BHX:

0553 QR21 / QTR2LA B788 A7-BCW

 

[HPsauce]

I think it tells us all we need to know about Virgin and their relationship with BHX as this morning they would rather divert from MAN to LHR due to their snow earlier.

 

[Coathanger16]

I think it tells us all we need to know about Virgin and their relationship with BHX as this morning they would rather divert from MAN to LHR due to their snow earlier.

Because they'd rather divert somewhere that has a ground presence from Virgin than somewhere that doesn't!

In situations like this, the crew would have contacted company operations and asked where they'd like them to divert to.

Virgin doesn't have a contract with any ground handling crew at BHX, but they do at LHR, so it makes perfect sense to divert there.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there all, as I have said before, both Virgin and British Airways don't like Birmingham Airport full stop, so will pay landing fees just to land, then when safe to depart, will depart ASAP...AndyC

 

[JENNYJET]

Can someone clarify if an aircraft has to seek the nearest serviceable runway rather than where there is a company presence? Do I understand correctly that alternate airport is entered in the flightplan and FMC?

 

[David_itl]

I would say nearest serviceable airport would only come into play for emergency situations that require "immediate" diversion. There have been times when Wizz Air couldn't get into LPL but ignored MAN and used DSA instead.

 

[rollo]

As I understand it is the captain of the aircraft who designates alternate airports prior to departure taking into account among other things weather conditions, aircraft weight, range and company policy filing it with ATC.

In the event of an emergency ie A PAN PAN or worse a MAY DAY any bit of tarmac is the absolute priority.

Captains carry a lot of responsibility and given the Virgin diversion to was a non emergency the decision to go to LHR seems completely logical

 

[Nethercote2019]

Many things are taken into consideration when not an emergency, incl how does the airline pay for services at diversion airport- so they will prefer somewhere where all is on account, I do remember at airport in France the fuel supplier would not accept the airline’s fuel carne card and the captain had to ask passengers for money to pay in cash !

 

[rollo]

Can't beat a quick whip round I remember that wasn't Ryanair by any chance?

 

[Ray Finkle]

DHL 763 G-DHLF diverted in after holding at EMA.

 

[Nethercote2019]

Unusual for DHL to choose Brum

 

[IanFarquharson]

Fuel & Go - low on fuel from JFK

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Fuel & Go - low on fuel from JFK

Any reason known for why it was in the hold for EMA? I checked weather on FR24 about 10mins later and it was saying CAVOK. Following flights all seemed to get in.
My guess would be runway de-icing.

Kevin

 

[IanFarquharson]

Any reason known for why it was in the hold for EMA? I checked weather on FR24 about 10mins later and it was saying CAVOK. Following flights all seemed to get in.
My guess would be runway de-icing.

Kevin

yes ice on runway