A380 G-XLEB SFO-LHR diverted to YVR due to staff sickness [25 Oct 2016]
Oct 28, 2016, 4:55 am
#166
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Just had a flick through this. The obvious questions that arise for me were what sort of fumes were there and why did they affect only the crew?
Sorry if that appears like trolling but those questions will occur to most people on a first read.
Sorry if that appears like trolling but those questions will occur to most people on a first read.
Oct 28, 2016, 5:10 am
#167
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Some passengers were also affected, and though all crew were checked, only a few crew were affected, details upthread. I can only speculate but in my experience the three fumes that I've occasionally had when flying (irrespective of airline) are (a) Avgas / kersosine / oil like smell, some leakage or bleed somehow getting into the cabin (b) burnt plastic, a small bit of burnt plastic can go a long way and (c) fried rodent - which produces a reek out of all proportion to the critter's size. Though annoying and alarming, this rarely indicates anything dangerous.
Oct 28, 2016, 5:10 am
#168
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Perfectly reasonable questions and like all of us you will have to wait patiently for the reports to be published.
Oct 28, 2016, 5:48 am
#169
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Post virgin here and a lot of aggravation going on...
I'm flying to SFO next week with BA and this has obviously caught my eye. I'm by no means an expert or a frequent flyer, I take 3 or 4 flights a year but I'm an aviation enthusiast since I was a small kid.
I'll give my 2cents from someone with some psychology background. When you talk about a traumatic experience as this would have been for some/many passengers people are normally quick to inflate things, the fact that perhaps the 2 cabin crew that fainted were escorted out of the aircraft before the passgengers could very easily mean in some people's account that "the crew left the airplane without saying anything".
Having read through most of the posts in this thread I didn't see anyone mention the crew rest area in the A380. This could explain why only 2 crew fainted and no passengers were affected, the fact that all crew was seen at an hospital may very well be BA procedure (idk). The 2 crew could be at the rest area when this happened.
Anyways, here's my 0.02c on the issue. Hope my flight goes a lot smoother.
I'm flying to SFO next week with BA and this has obviously caught my eye. I'm by no means an expert or a frequent flyer, I take 3 or 4 flights a year but I'm an aviation enthusiast since I was a small kid.
I'll give my 2cents from someone with some psychology background. When you talk about a traumatic experience as this would have been for some/many passengers people are normally quick to inflate things, the fact that perhaps the 2 cabin crew that fainted were escorted out of the aircraft before the passgengers could very easily mean in some people's account that "the crew left the airplane without saying anything".
Having read through most of the posts in this thread I didn't see anyone mention the crew rest area in the A380. This could explain why only 2 crew fainted and no passengers were affected, the fact that all crew was seen at an hospital may very well be BA procedure (idk). The 2 crew could be at the rest area when this happened.
Anyways, here's my 0.02c on the issue. Hope my flight goes a lot smoother.
Oct 28, 2016, 6:07 am
#170
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And I hope so too. I hope the weather improves for you too, it's not so good at the moment. Having said that, welcome to Flyertalk rcdesign and welcome to the BA board, it's really good of you to delurk yourself, and after a sane, rational post like that I would very much encourage you to continue to participate here.
Oct 28, 2016, 6:58 am
#171
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Incidentally BA staff have in the distant past taken industrial action, it follows a defined procedure which is now well respected, it protects everyone. There is just no way that some wildcat action would arise here, it's pointless, illegal, and unnecessary since there is an easier and more effective alternative.
I wouldn't necessarily expect everyone on a forum with contributors worldwide to know, but wildcat action - and action in support of other unions - has been illegal in the UK for something approaching 30 years, and the rules covering union strike ballots, and strike notice periods, are very stringent these days. I would hope, however, that those who are not resident in the UK would at least accept the word of those who are.
Even if those laws were not in place, I simply do not believe for one second that BA crew would strike whilst in the air. The hurt to the company in monetary terms of dumping fuel and paying for some hotels is absolute peanuts compared to a legal, lengthy strike arranged through a proper ballot and involving large numbers of staff. As has been said, it would be a totally futile exercise that would hurt the staff members concerned far more than it would BA.
This is unquestionably genuine, and - having seen and been talked through flight plans for the Babybus - I would absolutely trust the flight crew's decision in which of their pre-planned divert points was most appropriate at a given point in time, and how that might change with evolving circumstances.
Oct 28, 2016, 10:12 am
#172
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Also, I think it was clear he was getting input from BA in the UK about 'prefered options' for landing location, and when he got this, made the decision, he then told ATC what he wanted to do.
Oct 28, 2016, 11:34 am
#173
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I'm as curious as the next person to find out what actually happened re: the fumes, is BA (or any airline for that matter) required by law or authority to share their findings?
not withstanding the inconvenience for all those aboard, I'm glad that the crew made the right decision to divert. I've had my fair share over the years, and even though my initial reaction is always annoyance (hotels, rebooking etc), over time I've always been glad that the crew made the decisions when they felt the need to.
not withstanding the inconvenience for all those aboard, I'm glad that the crew made the right decision to divert. I've had my fair share over the years, and even though my initial reaction is always annoyance (hotels, rebooking etc), over time I've always been glad that the crew made the decisions when they felt the need to.
Oct 29, 2016, 12:44 am
#174
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I don't know how much clearer we can be, IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN.
We don't just do what we feel onboard with have SOPs which we MUST follow.
I'm guessing that the reports of the crew picking up their bags and leaving was from the baggage hall, once we had completed all duties and our ground staff had taken over then we would have left for the hospital.
We don't just do what we feel onboard with have SOPs which we MUST follow.
I'm guessing that the reports of the crew picking up their bags and leaving was from the baggage hall, once we had completed all duties and our ground staff had taken over then we would have left for the hospital.
Even on a narrow body like a B737, I can't possibly tell you what all the cabin crew are doing when I disembark the plane. On something like an A380, you can't even see most of them.On a plane which has a few people over the minimum, perhaps a couple left the plane first and some passengers described that as the whole crew leaving them behind. The crew would not abandon the plane - it would be a serious offense to do so.
Oct 29, 2016, 4:22 am
#175
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For those who are curious in things like that, I believe that A380 G-XLEB went to Jo'burg after arriving from Vancouver and is now on the way to LAX.
Oct 29, 2016, 4:46 am
#176
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And I hope so too. I hope the weather improves for you too, it's not so good at the moment. Having said that, welcome to Flyertalk rcdesign and welcome to the BA board, it's really good of you to delurk yourself, and after a sane, rational post like that I would very much encourage you to continue to participate here.
Oct 29, 2016, 9:54 am
#177
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Nov 1, 2016, 4:48 pm
#179
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From The Aviation Herald:
"On Nov 1st 2016 the TSB reported that there was a strong obnoxious smell near the #4 main cabin door and upper flight deck galley. The crew consulted with dispatch and decided to divert to Calgary, but was subsequently notified that Calgary did not have the equipment needed to handle the A380, hence the crew decided to divert to Vancouver. The crew donned their oxygen masks and dumped fuel. The entire 25 crew and a passenger were taken to local hospitals for precautionary checks, 3 cabin crew and the passenger were affected by the fumes, all were released. The operator dispatched maintenance personnel as well as aircraft manufacturer's support personnel to Vancouver, however, no source of the problem could be found. The aircraft positioned to London with only flight crew and maintenance personnel on board, however, despite system troubleshooting in flight no faults were found. The aircraft returned to service."
"On Nov 1st 2016 the TSB reported that there was a strong obnoxious smell near the #4 main cabin door and upper flight deck galley. The crew consulted with dispatch and decided to divert to Calgary, but was subsequently notified that Calgary did not have the equipment needed to handle the A380, hence the crew decided to divert to Vancouver. The crew donned their oxygen masks and dumped fuel. The entire 25 crew and a passenger were taken to local hospitals for precautionary checks, 3 cabin crew and the passenger were affected by the fumes, all were released. The operator dispatched maintenance personnel as well as aircraft manufacturer's support personnel to Vancouver, however, no source of the problem could be found. The aircraft positioned to London with only flight crew and maintenance personnel on board, however, despite system troubleshooting in flight no faults were found. The aircraft returned to service."
Nov 1, 2016, 5:22 pm
#180
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From The Aviation Herald:
"On Nov 1st 2016 the TSB reported that there was a strong obnoxious smell near the #4 main cabin door and upper flight deck galley. The crew consulted with dispatch and decided to divert to Calgary, but was subsequently notified that Calgary did not have the equipment needed to handle the A380, hence the crew decided to divert to Vancouver. The crew donned their oxygen masks and dumped fuel. The entire 25 crew and a passenger were taken to local hospitals for precautionary checks, 3 cabin crew and the passenger were affected by the fumes, all were released. The operator dispatched maintenance personnel as well as aircraft manufacturer's support personnel to Vancouver, however, no source of the problem could be found. The aircraft positioned to London with only flight crew and maintenance personnel on board, however, despite system troubleshooting in flight no faults were found. The aircraft returned to service."
"On Nov 1st 2016 the TSB reported that there was a strong obnoxious smell near the #4 main cabin door and upper flight deck galley. The crew consulted with dispatch and decided to divert to Calgary, but was subsequently notified that Calgary did not have the equipment needed to handle the A380, hence the crew decided to divert to Vancouver. The crew donned their oxygen masks and dumped fuel. The entire 25 crew and a passenger were taken to local hospitals for precautionary checks, 3 cabin crew and the passenger were affected by the fumes, all were released. The operator dispatched maintenance personnel as well as aircraft manufacturer's support personnel to Vancouver, however, no source of the problem could be found. The aircraft positioned to London with only flight crew and maintenance personnel on board, however, despite system troubleshooting in flight no faults were found. The aircraft returned to service."