aikaterine

Posted by a friend to me, not sure of news source. I'll find out in the morning. Seems unlikely that all of them would be stuck but I'm no expert.

bwaflyer

Just to clarify, the triple low chimes you can hear are the toilet smoke detectors.

RGS5526

Some of the early posts reported that the smoke first appeared at the start of the descent, but the consensus seems to be that it started 10 minutes before landing. My recollection as SLF is that power reduction for the descent happens much more than 20 minutes before landing, but that there are power changes much closer to landing.

Are there likely to have been power increases around 10 minutes out, and if so what would they have been associated with?

On a different theme, I usually find it difficult to count the number of rows to the exit behind me, particularly when the cabin is full. Is there any reason why the position of the emergency exits is not given in terms of row numbers? The information could be of interest, and use, to the more numerate passengers.

hotturnip

Whoa.

Aikaterine's pic is pretty horrifying. I don't know how s/he kept a level head during that.

And might I add: Aikaterine's posts are unusually concise, articulate, and informative. Highly worthy of the posting upgrade. Thank you.

schrodingerdog

If there were problems with the air system, it is possible that the cabin was at a different (lower) pressure than the ground. If so, the doors will be "jammed" because of the pressure difference. Opening a system in counter-pressure is quite difficult (I am a chemist, and we sometimes have the same problem with reactors and stuff), so they would have to wait for both pressures (internal and external) to equilibrate.

jouhka

It is really strange that folks sitting in the exit row did not open the doors by themselves. After all in an emergency that is exactly what you are supposed to do. Maybe the CC were sitting there in tow 10/11/12 and told passengers not to open the doors. But 10 mins in smoke filled aircraft - you want get out.

Or cabin pressure still on and the doors would not operate.

-j

BA235

florens

BOH

If I had been a pax on the plane and no action or announcements 10 minutes from the flightdeck after landing with a dense smoke filled cabin, I would have started to wonder if the flight crew had become overwhelmed with fumes and passed out. And that maybe the CC were doing nothing either because they were waiting instructions from the flight deck.

Am mindful of that Saudia L1011 Tri-Star incident some 40 years ago whereby sadly everyone on board perished after a fire was reported and after landing the aircraft did not evacuate - the reason why is still not fully understood. Chilling reading and would certainly ave gone through my mind if on yesterdays flight.....that maybe was nothing happening because the fine chaps upfront were incapacitated by fumes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudia_Flight_163

Notwithstanding that, nice to hear everyone is all safe

Waterhorse

Before we go too far down the rabbit hole here. There were reports from reputable sources of an engine fire, which were completely false. We also have reports, from someone, of jammed doors.

The Airbus pressurisation system opens the outflow valves on landing, equalizing the pressure.

If the Smoke Fire and Fumes Checklist has been auctioned, and in this case I have absolutely no doubt it was, then:

a. Initially the flight crew will be planning a diversion.

b. They will be reconfiguring the electrical system to reduce electrical demands thereby eliminating most causes of smoke.

c. They will be venting cabin air overboard and stopping any recirculation of air.

If the source is not obvious then a rapid descent to 10000ft will be started.

At this point and at any time during this checklist an immediate landing is being considered. Also IF at any time the smoke is the greatest threat then the aircraft will be depressurised.

So the aircraft landing should be either depressurised, or in a normal pressurisation mode, the "jammed" doors thing is just more panicked stories or half heard things being repeated as gospel.

People behave very, very, very differently when scared. Assertive people become mice, some just freeze, others just wait for clear instruction and wait for the crew to guide them.

No emergency event is ever " perfect" and lessons are always learned. Comms from the flight deck in a smoke event are almost impossible - its darned hard just to brief the crew and it is likely that hearing the " Darth Vader" impression of a pilot on a full face oxygen mask will help calm anyone.

On the ground, again the pilots will be doing their best to assess the situation and until we know what info was presented to them we cannot really assess how or why they made their decision to stay onboard as long as they did, given the same info I may have made the same decisions as them, so can well just dial back the criticisms of who decided what and when.

To me it sounds like the cabin crew did a stellar job in a very stressful situation. Hats off to them for a job very well done. It gives me great comfort to know that I work with such professional and capable colleagues. As for the flight crew I think they did well but will await the reports and analysis to learn from their efforts.

Everyone survived and there was no panic - a job well done.

scottishpoet

If you are sat on an emergency exit row you are only to open the door if instructed to do so by the crew, usually by the captain giving the instruction ''passenger evacuation".

The _Banking_Scot

Hi.

This is the main story on the BBC breakfast news just now.

Glad everyone made it out ok

Regards

Tbs

MickV

Can I help you

nancypants