AS2046 SEA-PSP diverted
Dec 20, 2018, 10:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K UAL Premier Exec
Posts: 126
AS2046 SEA-PSP diverted
I had the misfortune of being on this flight today. About 20 minutes before landing the pilot announced that we are diverting to Ontario with no explanation as to why. Of course many of the passengers were asking the flight attendants what was going on, and received no answer. Upon deplaning, the passenger in front of me asked the pilot the reason for the diversion and he replied "dispatch wouldn't allow us to land". There were no problems at the PSP airport. Not sure what to make of this reason. This was a major hassle for many travelers as there were several wheelchairs and families traveling with infants. We were told to gather our baggage and wait 20 minutes for buses to take us to PSP. One hour later, I bailed and rented a car. The Alaska ground agent (and I mean singular) was of no help, and offered little information other than the buses were 3 miles away which wasn't the case at all.
Dec 21, 2018, 1:10 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AS MVPG, 1MM
Posts: 377
Two years ago Air Force One tried 2 attempts to Palm Springs but was diverted to March Air Force Base...wind sheers and thermals happen. That being said, they should have given you an explanation about the divert...guessing it was the same type of thing. Hopefully you got to where you were going with minimal delays and safe.
Dec 21, 2018, 6:44 am
#3
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Per expertflyer, They are listing ATC issues
AT - AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL - CANCELLATION
0F - FLIGHT OPERATIONS
0L - LATE ARRIVAL
3SEA/ETD0217P 1.12L DUE LATE ARRIVAL *1553
4SEA/OUT0237P 1.32L OFF0254P *1702
2PSP/ETA0527P 1.30L PROJECTED *1701
1PSP/LX XCLD AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL - CANCELLATION *1909
2ONT/ON 0519P IN 0525P 0.05L *1933
AT - AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL - CANCELLATION
0F - FLIGHT OPERATIONS
0L - LATE ARRIVAL
3SEA/ETD0217P 1.12L DUE LATE ARRIVAL *1553
4SEA/OUT0237P 1.32L OFF0254P *1702
2PSP/ETA0527P 1.30L PROJECTED *1701
1PSP/LX XCLD AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL - CANCELLATION *1909
2ONT/ON 0519P IN 0525P 0.05L *1933
Dec 21, 2018, 7:44 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2018
Programs: AS MVP
Posts: 1
On Thursday evening I was at the PSP terminal waiting to depart on AS 2427. Your aircraft for AS 2046 (an E75) was scheduled to return to Seattle as AS 2427 following your arrival. Monitors were showing a 6:07 pm delayed departure for AS 2427, but then it was canceled – apparently because of your flight's diversion to Ontario. “Fortunately” for us, there as a later flight to SEATAC – AS 517 scheduled to depart at 7:40 pm, and again “fortunately”, it as undersold with enough seats for all of AS 2427's passengers (AS 517 was a larger 737). I understand there were serious weather conditions delaying flights in and out of SEATAC, but did Alaska purposely divert your flight into Ontario in order to justify the cancellation of the outgoing AS2427 flight from PSP? Nevertheless, we were all rebooked onto AS 517, but then it was delayed multiple times – Alaska was finally able to cobble together a plane with a different flight crew (the plane's incoming flight crew were maxed out for their flight time), and we finally departed PSP at 11:29 pm. So for those of us booked on AS 2427, instead of arriving at the scheduled 7:45 pm, we arrived the next day at 1:57 am. For this 6 hour delay, Alaska is offering me a $75 discount off a future flight. What is Alaska offering you for the the ride from Ontario to Palm Springs – a discount off a future bus ticket?
Dec 21, 2018, 10:41 pm
#6
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On Thursday evening I was at the PSP terminal waiting to depart on AS 2427. Your aircraft for AS 2046 (an E75) was scheduled to return to Seattle as AS 2427 following your arrival. Monitors were showing a 6:07 pm delayed departure for AS 2427, but then it was canceled – apparently because of your flight's diversion to Ontario. “Fortunately” for us, there as a later flight to SEATAC – AS 517 scheduled to depart at 7:40 pm, and again “fortunately”, it as undersold with enough seats for all of AS 2427's passengers (AS 517 was a larger 737). I understand there were serious weather conditions delaying flights in and out of SEATAC, but did Alaska purposely divert your flight into Ontario in order to justify the cancellation of the outgoing AS2427 flight from PSP? Nevertheless, we were all rebooked onto AS 517, but then it was delayed multiple times – Alaska was finally able to cobble together a plane with a different flight crew (the plane's incoming flight crew were maxed out for their flight time), and we finally departed PSP at 11:29 pm. So for those of us booked on AS 2427, instead of arriving at the scheduled 7:45 pm, we arrived the next day at 1:57 am. For this 6 hour delay, Alaska is offering me a $75 discount off a future flight. What is Alaska offering you for the the ride from Ontario to Palm Springs – a discount off a future bus ticket?
Dec 22, 2018, 11:45 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K UAL Premier Exec
Posts: 126
They sent a discount code for $100, my one way rental car was $97. I don’t know much about ATC but this seems like a major screw up on Alaska’s part. There were 3 flight attendants on our flight deadheading to PSP.
Dec 22, 2018, 12:20 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SFO, mostly
Posts: 2,204
As mentioned upthread, flights to PSP are sometimes diverted due to windshear. The ERJ might be a bit more vulnerable due to being a smaller aircraft. It’s bard to see how diverting to ONT would benefit anyone.