Weather & Technical Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

[Cookridge resident]

LBA was the designated diversionary airport hor El Al. They came here several times including a 767. Those major diversion nights were amazing, especially the one where every airport South or West if Leeds was fogged in. Well over 50 diverts that night including the entire MAN based BA fleet. Happy days, never to be repeated.


No. Not even on the agenda.

That was probably the night. The flights were from all over and the apron was a real mess. Absolute chaos.
LBA was truly an international airport that night.
It might have been closer to 1990 actually.

 

[oldendays]

The night of the wholesale 1-11 diversion was early 1987.

 

[Cookridge resident]

The night of the wholesale 1-11 diversion was early 1987.

It must have been a later one. I “think” I was living in Jersey in 1987

 

[Aviador]

Organisations such as
Swissport may not have rostered a full workforce at an airport if on that day, there are not too many movements scheduled. They don't want employees sitting around doing nothing.

The way it usually works is the aircraft land, steps and other services are only made available when able so it doesn't matter too much about the number of staff on duty. The same would apply at any airport however big. No airport handling agent employs a workforce to sit around waiting for diverts.

 

[White Heather]

The night of the wholesale 1-11 diversion was early 1987.

There were several diversion dates where the MAN 1-11 and ATP fleet ended up.at LBA. However, the ' big one' was another level, and included various Aer Lingus 737s, a variety of Dan Air aircraft including 1-11, 727 and 737, a Swissair A310 that night stoppped on the loop as the apron and taxiways were full, various British Midland, and plenty of others. Diverts were from as far away as London Gatwick.

At one point I recall seeing 4 sets of landing lights on approach and various other aircraft overhead in the hold waiting their turn. On that night, the fog didn't get LBA because of its height above sea level, whereas MAN, LPL, EMA, BHX, LHR, STN and LGW were all fogged up.Next morning however, LBA had shallow fog, with just the tail fins visible as aircraft taxied or departed.

The way it usually works is the aircraft land, steps and other services are only made available when able so it doesn't matter too much about the number of staff on duty. The same would apply at any airport however big. No airport handling agent employs a workforce to sit around waiting for diverts.

It certainly matters when it comes to Border Force presence. If they're not there in sufficient numbers to deal with unexpected multiple flights from foreign airports, then those flights don't come here, whatever the situation is with ground handling.

However, if an support such as BHX has a small army of ground handling staff available to deal with diverts, and LBA only has a limited number, then clearly the airline are more likely to divert their plane to an airport where it will be dealt with more quickly. They dont want it sat on the deck ages waiting to be processed. They'll want it heading back to base ASAP. In reaching their decision where to divert they will certainly have discussed the situation with their handling agent.

 

[Finger66]

D-CAWK, Citation Latitude, EDI-MAN held north of Manchester for around an hour and now looks to be diverting to BHX - how frustrating.

LPL also taken a few MAN diverts in the last hour or so.

 

[LBA4EVER]

D-CAWK, Citation Latitude, EDI-MAN held north of Manchester for around an hour and now looks to be diverting to BHX - how frustrating.

LPL also taken a few MAN diverts in the last hour or so.

Shocking location for an airport prone to low level freezing fog!
Could be quite an interesting night.
Currently 2 ATRs holding around MAN, be interesting to see what happens

 

[northsouth]

From my memory the big diversion nights were 10- 14-15th December 1990 3
days the Friday night was the A310 parked in the loop, the other was Friday 31st January 1992 was the biggest single night of inbound diversions started about lunchtime until about 12:30am with the Dan air 722 from Gatwick was the last again all from memory

Sorry forgot there was another in January 1987 as mentioned in a previous post

 

[Cookridge resident]

From my memory the big diversion nights were 10- 14-15th December 1990 3
days the Friday night was the A310 parked in the loop, the other was Friday 31st January 1992 was the biggest single night of inbound diversions started about lunchtime until about 12:30am with the Dan air 722 from Gatwick was the last again all from memory

I’m fairly sure it was 1990 for me. Thanks for clearing that up

 

[White Heather]

Shocking location for an airport prone to low level freezing fog!
Could be quite an interesting night.
Currently 2 ATRs holding around MAN, be interesting to see what happens

What's happened is that most flights that are operating have landed , but the average delay for both arrivals and departures is over 80 minutes with a disruption index of 5.0. What diverts there were went to LPL mainly with one-to BHX. A large number of inbound flights have now been cancelled.

All in all, not a good week for our big neighbour over the hill. We had our day of snow, but otherwise the North West has had far more disruption.

Update: Still fog. Delays over 100 minutes. Two Jet2s diverted. but both to EMA!

 

[ChrisBBB]

There were several diversion dates where the MAN 1-11 and ATP fleet ended up.at LBA. However, the ' big one' was another level, and included various Aer Lingus 737s, a variety of Dan Air aircraft including 1-11, 727 and 737, a Swissair A310 that night stoppped on the loop as the apron and taxiways were full, various British Midland, and plenty of others. Diverts were from as far away as London Gatwick.

At one point I recall seeing 4 sets of landing lights on approach and various other aircraft overhead in the hold waiting their turn. On that night, the fog didn't get LBA because of its height above sea level, whereas MAN, LPL, EMA, BHX, LHR, STN and LGW were all fogged up.Next morning however, LBA had shallow fog, with just the tail fins visible as aircraft taxied or departed.


It certainly matters when it comes to Border Force presence. If they're not there in sufficient numbers to deal with unexpected multiple flights from foreign airports, then those flights don't come here, whatever the situation is with ground handling.

However, if an support such as BHX has a small army of ground handling staff available to deal with diverts, and LBA only has a limited number, then clearly the airline are more likely to divert their plane to an airport where it will be dealt with more quickly. They dont want it sat on the deck ages waiting to be processed. They'll want it heading back to base ASAP. In reaching their decision where to divert they will certainly have discussed the situation with their handling agent.

My dad was on the Swissair and I got a Schabak Swissair A310 as my guilt for working away present!

 

[lbaspotter]

Leeds based Jet2 Boeing 737-800, G-JZBU has gone tech down route in Krakow after operating the EXS4BA

Manchester based Boeing 737-800, G-JZBA was positioned out as EXS49A to pick up the pax. It’s now operating the delayed return flight to Leeds as EXS25GM but will have to divert to Manchester as it’s not made the night closer curfew.

 

[twevsmiff]

Citationjet 2-COOK inbound from Lugano, vectors for ILS 32, 1020. Gamston Diversion

 

[AirBingley]

AMS has fog problems today so our morning Kl has been cancelled with the first flight of the day having left with almost a 2 hour delay. I hope the crew had more than mini cheddars to hand out!

 

[lbaspotter]

Leeds based Jet2 Boeing 737-800, G-JZBU has gone tech down route in Krakow after operating the EXS4BA

Manchester based Boeing 737-800, G-JZBA was positioned out as EXS49A to pick up the pax. It’s now operating the delayed return flight to Leeds as EXS25GM but will have to divert to Manchester as it’s not made the night closer curfew.

The tech Jet2 Boeing 737-800, G-JZBU should be positioning back to Leeds from Krakow today as EXS41A

 

[The Pole]

Dublin to LBA just been in the hold anyone listen and know why?

 

[White Heather]

Dublin to LBA just been in the hold anyone listen and know why?

Fire alarm evacuation.

 

[The Pole]

Fire alarm evacuation.

Smokers again?
Is the smoking area still closed?

 

[White Heather]

Smokers again?
Is the smoking area still closed?

I dont know. Could be, but discharging an aerosol near a smoke alarm can slso trigger the fire alarm. Or could be deliberate action. Perhaps a new tactic by they who shall not be named!

 

[LBA4EVER]

Was originally planned to fly back to LBA from ALC this friday 24th but after checking the weather forecasts its looking like a pretty nasty storm is due to hit the uk on friday, so now flying back sat 25th evening.
A very powerful jetstream is forming due to extreme cold weather in the US so no doubt we will see high winds and quite a few storms crossing the atlantic!