Go-around... how frequently does this happen?
Dec 13, 2018, 7:23 am
#91
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: New York
Programs: AAdvantage EP
Posts: 368
We were descending and then gear up and engines spool up. Not my first go around so no big deal. Captain came on told us about the gear indicator light out (This was on an old AA MD80). Told us they were going to work the checklist but he thought it was a bulb. They worked the checklist for about 15-20 minutes and the Captain came back on to say it was the bulb. He did tell us there would be emergency equipment following the plane on landing. Came around and landed without incident.
Views of NYC were really nice. And yes it was my last go around.
Views of NYC were really nice. And yes it was my last go around.
Last edited by JTK; Dec 13, 2018 at 7:23 am Reason: Added to the story
Dec 13, 2018, 7:30 am
#92
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Berkshire, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, VS Gold, HH Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 117
I think I’ve only had 2 out of hundreds of flights, however both were on the same flight (!), about 20 years ago from YVR-SFO. My vague recollection was that in at least one of the attempts there was a plane passing underneath?
I didn’t feel worried at the time, mainly as I’d held off using the bathroom just before the seat belt sign first went on “as we’d be down shortly”, so was somewhat distracted by the uncomfortable pain I was in...
I didn’t feel worried at the time, mainly as I’d held off using the bathroom just before the seat belt sign first went on “as we’d be down shortly”, so was somewhat distracted by the uncomfortable pain I was in...
Dec 13, 2018, 9:07 am
#93
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: Delta GM; FB Plat; HHonors Diamond; Hertz PC; National EE
Posts: 190
Can you be sure about that? My significant other flew into AMS as a pax two weeks ago on a KL flight from LHR. I was following them on flightradar and noticed them executing a go-around. Curiousity got the better of me and I went over to liveatc.net to listen back to the conversation they had with the tower while waiting for her. The go-around in that case was called by the crew, and they cited a "configuration problem" as the reason. They were asked about the reason again, a minute or two later, by the tower, and again the answer from the flight deck was "aircraft configuration problem". So you can imagine that I was quite surprised when my better half finally arrived and she told me that they told the passengers that there was another plane on the runway. Blatant lie..
Dec 13, 2018, 11:40 am
#94
Join Date: May 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 390
Two from reasonable levels of leisure-only travel.
My first was ten years ago on a turboprop from Quito to Coca (OCC) in Ecuador, not sure who was operating, for what was supposed to be a quick hop over the Andes and a canoe trip on to a jungle lodge. It was a last-minute abort due to weather (heavy fog I think), a real slam back into your seat from quite near the ground, and we had to go back to Quito amidst visions of ending up a character in Alive 2. We were told to go and amuse ourselves outside the airport and we'd give it another go in 12 hours. That turned out to be a huge blessing as the previous day Iberia had left my luggage behind on the short connection in Madrid from LHR to Quito, and with the early morning original onward flight I had had no time to go shopping before leaving for the jungle, so I spent most of those 12 hours in Quito gratefully buying underwear and contact lens solution.
Since then I've had one on approach to LHR in a long-haul aircraft maybe a year or two ago, probably BA, but comparatively speaking I barely noticed and only vaguely remember it now from knowing that, prompted by it, I told the above story to my now-husband.
My first was ten years ago on a turboprop from Quito to Coca (OCC) in Ecuador, not sure who was operating, for what was supposed to be a quick hop over the Andes and a canoe trip on to a jungle lodge. It was a last-minute abort due to weather (heavy fog I think), a real slam back into your seat from quite near the ground, and we had to go back to Quito amidst visions of ending up a character in Alive 2. We were told to go and amuse ourselves outside the airport and we'd give it another go in 12 hours. That turned out to be a huge blessing as the previous day Iberia had left my luggage behind on the short connection in Madrid from LHR to Quito, and with the early morning original onward flight I had had no time to go shopping before leaving for the jungle, so I spent most of those 12 hours in Quito gratefully buying underwear and contact lens solution.
Since then I've had one on approach to LHR in a long-haul aircraft maybe a year or two ago, probably BA, but comparatively speaking I barely noticed and only vaguely remember it now from knowing that, prompted by it, I told the above story to my now-husband.
Dec 13, 2018, 2:03 pm
#95
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 21
I’ve had 2 memorable ones. Once into JNB on the A380, the power of the plane was immense! Second was coming into SAN this summer, sitting rearwards at sunset meant I had some fantastic views of the navy base followed by a very close view of the small downtown. Have also had one on short haul but not so memorable as the two on those long sectors.
Dec 13, 2018, 2:18 pm
#96
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,211
Surprisingly, I've had a few....mostly weather related without any drama. I think the last one I had was when flying KLM to FCO and we had to go around as there was an Iberia aircraft in the way.
Dec 13, 2018, 3:56 pm
#97
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
I tend to think "Another aircraft was on the runway" is a standard fib. It implies "nothing is wrong and it's not our fault", which reassures the pax and protects the brand. Only once did I get what I thought was an honest reason from the flight crew when the captain simply said "I just didn't like how it was shaping up"
Dec 13, 2018, 4:38 pm
#98
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
I'd say half a dozen or so in 40 years of flying. The worst was two on the same flight. Brutal winter conditions going into Sault Ste. Marie on a Nordair 737. The pilot made two approaches and on the third attempt put the plane down in the hardest landing I've ever experienced. Overheads flew open, O2 masks dropped, a food cart came loose. You know it's a rough landing when the cabin crew look shaken.
Dec 13, 2018, 4:43 pm
#99
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: London
Programs: Gold at BA, Hilton and Radisson.
Posts: 592
What an amazingly useful comment.
Perhaps I've got it wrong; but, it did feel like you are trying to belittle the OP here. He wasn't suggesting the pilots did it because it wasn't necessary
Perhaps the pilot never even made the call?
Perhaps I've got it wrong; but, it did feel like you are trying to belittle the OP here. He wasn't suggesting the pilots did it because it wasn't necessary
Perhaps the pilot never even made the call?
Dec 13, 2018, 5:01 pm
#100
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 357
I had two go-arounds coming into INN (Innsbruck) last Xmas, then diverted to MUC. Apparently it's fairly notorious as it's in a valley with frequent blankets of cloud & not much room to manoeuvre if there's a low cloud-base.
The only other time (probably out of 700-ish flights) was a bush pilot in Namibia, coming into a desert camp. Decided it was a bit too high/fast an approach, and did a *very* low ?-shaped go-around and came in from the opposite direction. I could see individual leaves on the trees, and feel the plane sliding down the line of the wings on the turn. Asked the pilot afterwards how high we were on the turn - I thought 200-300ft. She replied "nope, I was watching out for the telegraph poles".
The only other time (probably out of 700-ish flights) was a bush pilot in Namibia, coming into a desert camp. Decided it was a bit too high/fast an approach, and did a *very* low ?-shaped go-around and came in from the opposite direction. I could see individual leaves on the trees, and feel the plane sliding down the line of the wings on the turn. Asked the pilot afterwards how high we were on the turn - I thought 200-300ft. She replied "nope, I was watching out for the telegraph poles".
Dec 13, 2018, 9:49 pm
#101
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Helvetia
Programs: AS; BA Silver; UA; HH Gold; Sprüngli Connaisseur
Posts: 2,912
Most of mine have been weather related. One at ZQN and two at ALR on the same NZA flight where we ended up being diverted to IVC. Then two trying to land at MRY on UA and eventually being diverted to SFO. Only the last one with BA was LHR and traffic related, but was by far the worst, as it took enough time that we weren't able to visit the CCR.
I'm not sure, but I think the go around at the Glenorchy airport to scare away the sheep doesn't officially count, as it was expected that the pilot would have to do it.
I'm not sure, but I think the go around at the Glenorchy airport to scare away the sheep doesn't officially count, as it was expected that the pilot would have to do it.
Dec 13, 2018, 10:15 pm
#102
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: Plat Pro AAdvantage, but defected to BAEC
Posts: 1,222
I tend to think "Another aircraft was on the runway" is a standard fib. It implies "nothing is wrong and it's not our fault", which reassures the pax and protects the brand. Only once did I get what I thought was an honest reason from the flight crew when the captain simply said "I just didn't like how it was shaping up"
Im guessing that ATC messed up the spacing on that one.
Dec 14, 2018, 12:56 am
#104
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Jersey
Programs: BAEC gold
Posts: 522
As a couple of others have mentioned, JER is notorious for go-arounds given the propensity for fog (the ILS is only cat 1 because of the surrounding terrain), and crosswinds can often be an issue too. I have had plenty, including one occasion with a very strong crosswind when the main wheels hit the runway hard before we went around. The captain came on to say that he had taken the view that to proceed with the landing would have been unsafe. On the second go he went around at 500 feet and back to LGW we went. Without casting aspersions about any other airlines, I do deliberately choose BA where possible at the height of the winter in JER for the professionalism of the crew and their familiarity with what can be quite a challenging approach.
Dec 14, 2018, 1:03 am
#105
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
I had a dramatic one at Malaga AGP some years ago in a B727 when a Spanish nave AV8B crashed on the runway in front of us.AGP ATC were on the ball though and called the go around early. We were slightly unsure if we had been hit by any bits, so diverted and had a good look around.