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BA flight (op WDL Aviation) lands in Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf by mistake

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BA flight (op WDL Aviation) lands in Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf by mistake

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Old Mar 25, 2019, 8:44 am
  #46  
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Saw the aircraft this morning at LCY as I was waiting to leave for FRA

This could have so easily been me! D-AMGL was doing the LCy-FRA run regularly over the past two weeks.

I fly FRA regularly and I can easily tell if the route seems to be different....not sure how anyone in the flight didn't realise...
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 8:44 am
  #47  
 
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Just five pax on flight

According to:
http://www.ttgmedia.com/news/news/br...-mistake-17460

A WDL Aviation spokesperson added: “We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur.“At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised. We flew the five passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Dusseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh.”
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 8:51 am
  #48  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
I'm also a bit puzzled how the pilots could have boarded without noticing the destination that was posted at the gate as they were verifying that they had arrived at the correct gate, but of course this wouldn't apply if they had just stayed on board the aircraft from a previous flight. When the GA lets pilots on board, wouldn't there be some verification of flight number and destination as well as the identity of crew members?
At LCY the crew - flight and cabin - typically don't board from the passenger gate, and certainly not in a case where the aircraft started in DUS before going to LCY. At LHR and LGW it would be more normal for the crew to board at the gate, but in many cases the overhead signs would not at that point give the destination.

Still however you look at it, this was one big boo-boo.
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:06 am
  #49  
 
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I remember many years ago landing at LHR after a 10.5 hour flight on SAA from JNB to have the flight crew "proudly" welcome us all to Paris lol!
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:13 am
  #50  
 
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I know people have been wondering why no one seemed to pick up on it until landing, noting they wouldn't have crossed water etc.... However if that was me I would have been more in the "I'm going mad and there's no way I'm saying anything" camp than the "British Airways has sent us to the wrong country" camp... even if I had thought something was amiss, can you imagine?! "Excuse me, are you sure we are flying to Germany, looks like Northern England down there" would take some self-confidence in my book.
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:22 am
  #51  
 
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The Flight plan was filed to EDI so the cockpit crew did nothing wrong - they flew the route which was assigned to them. If they had choosen the wrong pather after takeoff ATC would have called them within 20 seconds. So neither the cockpit crew nor the traffic control saw that "problem". Now it's possible that the cabin crew was briefed for DUS and therefore made the "correct" announcements for Düssedorf!
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:27 am
  #52  
 
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Originally Posted by Keystone
According to:
http://www.ttgmedia.com/news/news/br...-mistake-17460

A WDL Aviation spokesperson added: “We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur.“At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised. We flew the five passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Dusseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh.”

Maybe there should have be a flash sale EDI-DUS to fill this flight up!!
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:28 am
  #53  
 
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There’s nothing wrong in preferring Edinburgh to Düsseldorf. And the lounge is better.
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:36 am
  #54  
 
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Originally Posted by BER Flyer
The Flight plan was filed to EDI so the cockpit crew did nothing wrong - they flew the route which was assigned to them. If they had choosen the wrong pather after takeoff ATC would have called them within 20 seconds. So neither the cockpit crew nor the traffic control saw that "problem". Now it's possible that the cabin crew was briefed for DUS and therefore made the "correct" announcements for Düssedorf!
If true, then is it not more surprising that they didn't notice the plane going the wrong way, as opposed to the 5 passengers ? or maybe they did and just didn't say anything.

"hands up all those that want to go to duseldorf"....how many did they think would say "nahhh..we're here now, will try EDI instead !"

Wonder did any of them have checked luggage, and if so, how does a flight plan for EDI mate with luggage marked with DUS.
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:37 am
  #55  
 
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The five pax must have been nervous and hungry if the report of one of them is correct:

Passenger Sophie Cooke, a 24-year-old management consultant told the BBC that everyone on board initially thought it was a joke when the "Welcome to Edinburgh" announcement played. She said "It became very frustrating. The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy".
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:42 am
  #56  
 
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Originally Posted by Fluzz
I know people have been wondering why no one seemed to pick up on it until landing, noting they wouldn't have crossed water etc.... However if that was me I would have been more in the "I'm going mad and there's no way I'm saying anything" camp than the "British Airways has sent us to the wrong country" camp... even if I had thought something was amiss, can you imagine?! "Excuse me, are you sure we are flying to Germany, looks like Northern England down there" would take some self-confidence in my book.
I'm not sure - looking at FR24 there's a very obvious left turn at 2,700ft shortly after take-off. Also, GPS on Google Maps often works on those small planes - if I could get a positive lock showing that we were going the wrong way I might have a word with the cabin crew...
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:43 am
  #57  
 
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I imagine there were more people on the original flight but faced with 2 hours on the ground at EDI and 2 more hours to get to DUS I would have thought that there would be quite a few happy to get back to London and write the day off.
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:44 am
  #58  
 
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Perhaps if the crew had announced, "Welcome onboard on our Edinburgh flight. You should get a good view of Edinburgh castle.", someone would of noticed.
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:48 am
  #59  
 
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Originally Posted by gms
I like how the BA Twitter team tried to claim that "The flight has been diverted to Edinburgh" rather than admit they flew to the wrong airport!
Doesn't really say much for their geography skills if they really think Edinburgh would be a likely diversion airport for a route from LCY-DUS!
For me, this is the most disappointing bit of the story. Yes, a mistake has happened - there's no doubt about that. But to have the official account blurt out false statements like this ( essentially deflecting from the issue and passing on misinformation ) is an even bigger problem. There's no shame in saying 'we don't know what happened, but we're on it and will make it right'.
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Old Mar 25, 2019, 9:58 am
  #60  
 
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Originally Posted by George Kyriakos
For me, this is the most disappointing bit of the story. Yes, a mistake has happened - there's no doubt about that. But to have the official account blurt out false statements like this ( essentially deflecting from the issue and passing on misinformation ) is an even bigger problem. There's no shame in saying 'we don't know what happened, but we're on it and will make it right'.
Agreed
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