Unexpected destinations - diversions on BA flights.
May 17, 2020, 6:59 am
#46
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,992
I've only ever had one diversion, when my crack-of-dawn Berlin TXL to LCY ended up at LGW because of fog.
We were all given information regarding our rights, and BA promptly paid my claim for the train fare fom Gatwick to the City.
We were all given information regarding our rights, and BA promptly paid my claim for the train fare fom Gatwick to the City.
May 17, 2020, 8:18 am
#47
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,575
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the subchartered BA Cityflyer that got lost recently and ended up in Edinburgh with a plane full of passengers expecting Dusseldorf !
No BA diversions myself. Amazingly only one in many 100s of flights - a VS JFK-LHR into Stansted during one of the big snow incidents. We too found out about it from the IFE and informed the CC. By the time we disembarked there were many other diversions and the airport itself was snow-closed so it was chaos and I spent a long time helping some very stuck Americans and foreigners get sorted, accompanying a large delegation on the Stansted Express. Was happy to be back in the UK though, BA had cancelled their JFK flights that night and a colleague coming from San Francisco ended up in Frankfurt and made his way back overland !
No BA diversions myself. Amazingly only one in many 100s of flights - a VS JFK-LHR into Stansted during one of the big snow incidents. We too found out about it from the IFE and informed the CC. By the time we disembarked there were many other diversions and the airport itself was snow-closed so it was chaos and I spent a long time helping some very stuck Americans and foreigners get sorted, accompanying a large delegation on the Stansted Express. Was happy to be back in the UK though, BA had cancelled their JFK flights that night and a colleague coming from San Francisco ended up in Frankfurt and made his way back overland !
May 17, 2020, 8:21 am
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Personally, I had not experienced any diversions on any airline.
However, I remember that once when flying from BRU to IST with TK, the next flight after mine was diverted to SOF due to a false bomb alert.
However, I remember that once when flying from BRU to IST with TK, the next flight after mine was diverted to SOF due to a false bomb alert.
May 17, 2020, 8:28 am
#49
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYZ
Programs: BA Gold/Marriott Gold/HH Diamond/IC Plat Amba
Posts: 5,992
Never had any diversion where we had to get off the plane. Over the years a fair few to Goose Bay or Gander for medical emergencies/disruptive passenger and one to YMX to refuel because the headwinds TATL westbound were so strong we were running too low on fuel to make it to YYZ. Remarkably I've never been diverted due to thunderstorms or snow storms considering YYZ is my home airport
May 17, 2020, 8:32 am
#50
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,549
Diverted to Paris after LHR closed due to high winds. Pilots described it in received pronunciation as 'dismal'. We were on approach (in 747) to Paris and all of a sudden heavy turn and up again and on way to LHR which had just reopened.
May 17, 2020, 8:58 am
#51
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Western Europe
Programs: Yeah, well, don’t really care anymore
Posts: 845
Two springs to mind.
First one was supposed to be BRU-MLA-BRU, but around an hour our of BRU we had a pressurisation failure. Oxygen masks on, right turn 90 degrees, max. descent to FL100 and a mayday call quickly ensured. We diverted to LEJ for a change of chariot, and whilst we got the rubber band wound up on the new kite, ground crew transferred the cargo. 25 minutes later, we were off again.
Second was actually before that, jump seating on an Air Icelandic A310 BAH-BGY-BRU. 9 people on board in total, every single one having made good use of the offers in BAH duty free. We had a couple of bottles of wine with dinner, a couple of beers afterwards and finally drained a bottle of Jack. I should probably mention here, now, that the two guys up front did not indulge, but sounds of jealousy certainly emanated from their office. Anyways, on approach to BGY we learn from ATC that an aircraft had struck birds, was currently occupying the runway and would we like to hold? Sod that, was the common understanding onboard, as we all had BRU as final destination and were most keen on visiting the hub pub before it closed. Off to Brussels it was then, arriving 4 hours before the schedule would have let you to believe. 6 hours later I was jump seating on another 'Bus, this time bound for LOS, with just enough blood in my alcohol stream to keep the most vital of organs in a somewhat functioning state. Woke up somewhere over the Sahara with the worst headache ever, looking and smelling (as I was told in no uncertain terms) like a bum who'd won the lottery and spent it all in one night at the sleaziest of bars.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why freight dogs rules!
First one was supposed to be BRU-MLA-BRU, but around an hour our of BRU we had a pressurisation failure. Oxygen masks on, right turn 90 degrees, max. descent to FL100 and a mayday call quickly ensured. We diverted to LEJ for a change of chariot, and whilst we got the rubber band wound up on the new kite, ground crew transferred the cargo. 25 minutes later, we were off again.
Second was actually before that, jump seating on an Air Icelandic A310 BAH-BGY-BRU. 9 people on board in total, every single one having made good use of the offers in BAH duty free. We had a couple of bottles of wine with dinner, a couple of beers afterwards and finally drained a bottle of Jack. I should probably mention here, now, that the two guys up front did not indulge, but sounds of jealousy certainly emanated from their office. Anyways, on approach to BGY we learn from ATC that an aircraft had struck birds, was currently occupying the runway and would we like to hold? Sod that, was the common understanding onboard, as we all had BRU as final destination and were most keen on visiting the hub pub before it closed. Off to Brussels it was then, arriving 4 hours before the schedule would have let you to believe. 6 hours later I was jump seating on another 'Bus, this time bound for LOS, with just enough blood in my alcohol stream to keep the most vital of organs in a somewhat functioning state. Woke up somewhere over the Sahara with the worst headache ever, looking and smelling (as I was told in no uncertain terms) like a bum who'd won the lottery and spent it all in one night at the sleaziest of bars.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why freight dogs rules!
Last edited by Sheikh Yerbooty; May 17, 2020 at 9:10 am
May 17, 2020, 11:06 am
#52
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: BAEC Gold/GGL, IHG Diamond AMB
Posts: 1,074
Inbound to TIA from LGW in horrendous weather we have three attempts to land then diverted to DBV in our 737-400 - it was fairly chilled at DBV - had a cup of tea, had some fresh air as 1L was open with some steps down the tarmac. When we arrived at TIA some hours later it was glorious sunshine! 
May 17, 2020, 11:49 am
#53
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 494
My first diversion was with Pan Am in the early days of the 747. I am not sure now where in the USA we started from, but I was heading to London, with an onward connection to Edinburgh. The 747 was due to continue on from London to Paris. However, because of fog, we overflew London and went on to land at, I think, Le Bourget. This was well before the new Paris Airport at Roissy (now CDG) was opened. Pan Am showed no interest in putting us on earlier flights to London, so we had to sit around until the 747 set off back to London (and onwards to the USA). I don't recall any problems getting rebooked on BA from London to Edinburgh.
Then there was the time when BA (or the relevant predecessor at the time) couldn't fly me from LHR to Newcastle, so gave me a piece of paper and told me to take it to British Midland, who would put me on one of their flights. BMI wasn't expecting anything like this and didn't fly to NCL, but eventually put me on a DC9 to MME. Their in-flight magazine boasted about how quiet the DC9 was, but seated at the back alongside the engines I found it the noisiest cabin I have experienced in almost 60 years of flying as a passenger. However it got me to Teesside and I finished my trip, with ringing ears, on the train via Darlington.
A more conventional diversion was on a journey from LHR to YOW, with a change of plane and airline in BOS. The descent into BOS was through thick cloud, but we could see flaps being extended and hear the wheels lock down. Then the engines spooled up, the wheels came up, the flaps retracted, and we broke out of the clouds into bright sunshine. This was before the days of seatback IFE and the moving map, but we could tell from the position of the sun that we were heading south. After some time the captain came on the PA and announced that the Autoland system had gone inoperable and that we were heading for Philadelphia, the scheduled final destination of the flight. Once on the ground, most people were happy to be in PHL, or were quickly found flights back to BOS or to an ultimate destination elsewhere in the USA. That left just a few of us aiming to get to YOW or other points in Canada, and there didn't seem to be anything going that way. Eventually a place was found for me on a flight to Ottawa, but one that left almost immediately from a domestic terminal on the other side of the airport. There wasn't time to drive there using landside roads, so I had the unusual experience of being driven airside, across the airport without any boarding pass or security checks to steps leading to the door of an aircraft that had already pushed back.
Then there was the time when BA (or the relevant predecessor at the time) couldn't fly me from LHR to Newcastle, so gave me a piece of paper and told me to take it to British Midland, who would put me on one of their flights. BMI wasn't expecting anything like this and didn't fly to NCL, but eventually put me on a DC9 to MME. Their in-flight magazine boasted about how quiet the DC9 was, but seated at the back alongside the engines I found it the noisiest cabin I have experienced in almost 60 years of flying as a passenger. However it got me to Teesside and I finished my trip, with ringing ears, on the train via Darlington.
A more conventional diversion was on a journey from LHR to YOW, with a change of plane and airline in BOS. The descent into BOS was through thick cloud, but we could see flaps being extended and hear the wheels lock down. Then the engines spooled up, the wheels came up, the flaps retracted, and we broke out of the clouds into bright sunshine. This was before the days of seatback IFE and the moving map, but we could tell from the position of the sun that we were heading south. After some time the captain came on the PA and announced that the Autoland system had gone inoperable and that we were heading for Philadelphia, the scheduled final destination of the flight. Once on the ground, most people were happy to be in PHL, or were quickly found flights back to BOS or to an ultimate destination elsewhere in the USA. That left just a few of us aiming to get to YOW or other points in Canada, and there didn't seem to be anything going that way. Eventually a place was found for me on a flight to Ottawa, but one that left almost immediately from a domestic terminal on the other side of the airport. There wasn't time to drive there using landside roads, so I had the unusual experience of being driven airside, across the airport without any boarding pass or security checks to steps leading to the door of an aircraft that had already pushed back.
May 17, 2020, 11:57 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
Two that I can think of.
The first was in 2005 when a good friend and I flew Citiexpress SOU-EDI-SOU for £60 for the day. The weather in Edinburgh wasn't so great so we went back to EDI a bit early and hung out in the lounge. Flights to LCY, LHR and LGW were all being announced so I didn't even pay attention to the time, then the friend and I were paged to the front and we were told our flight was closing. Embarrassingly the gate agent followed us down to the EMB-145 and closed the door behind us. Flight leaves EDI a few minutes late and we fly down to SOU where the weather is closing in...we do one missed approach and on the second go around just before landing we go around again and are told the airport has closed and we would be diverting to BHX. Upon arrival at BHX a coach was waiting for us so it was all rather well organized, but I can't help but think that if my friend and I had been onboard at the right time that we would have landed before a diversion was necessary
The second was in around 2012 or so, flying on the first JER-LGW of the day. The fog was in hard at LGW and we flew a few circles before diverting to....JER. So we land back on the island along with quite a few other BA shorthaul diversions. Several passengers disembark and go home and I watch my brother and his wife boarding a flight beside me (I was in Jersey visiting them). We then takeoff back to LGW...
Have had a few others on other carriers...
The first was in 2005 when a good friend and I flew Citiexpress SOU-EDI-SOU for £60 for the day. The weather in Edinburgh wasn't so great so we went back to EDI a bit early and hung out in the lounge. Flights to LCY, LHR and LGW were all being announced so I didn't even pay attention to the time, then the friend and I were paged to the front and we were told our flight was closing. Embarrassingly the gate agent followed us down to the EMB-145 and closed the door behind us. Flight leaves EDI a few minutes late and we fly down to SOU where the weather is closing in...we do one missed approach and on the second go around just before landing we go around again and are told the airport has closed and we would be diverting to BHX. Upon arrival at BHX a coach was waiting for us so it was all rather well organized, but I can't help but think that if my friend and I had been onboard at the right time that we would have landed before a diversion was necessary
The second was in around 2012 or so, flying on the first JER-LGW of the day. The fog was in hard at LGW and we flew a few circles before diverting to....JER. So we land back on the island along with quite a few other BA shorthaul diversions. Several passengers disembark and go home and I watch my brother and his wife boarding a flight beside me (I was in Jersey visiting them). We then takeoff back to LGW...
Have had a few others on other carriers...
May 17, 2020, 12:02 pm
#55
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Central Scotland
Programs: BAEC Gold, Miles & More Silver, Privilege Club Silver
Posts: 544
2014 LHR-FCO diverted to PSA due to extreme weather over FCO, refueled and resumed journey (BA)
2010 NCL-FUE medical divert to LGW, halfway across France at the time, flew over SOU going to LGW. (Thomas Cook).
One go around at GLA, something on the runway.
2010 NCL-FUE medical divert to LGW, halfway across France at the time, flew over SOU going to LGW. (Thomas Cook).
One go around at GLA, something on the runway.
May 17, 2020, 4:15 pm
#56
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 887
2008, GLA-LHR with onward connection to IAH.
Departed GLA on time, about to take up the hold at LHR when an unexpected fog bank rolled in, so instead of right hand turn to enter the hold, left hand turn with immediate divert to STN.
By time got refuelled and to LHR had missed the 2 IAH flights. Eventually got rebooked via EWR connecting onto Continental at EWR.
Got to EWR and had to sprint between terminals to make flight. Last passenger to board. 1 more minute and my seat was getting given to a gate standby. It was only fact I had been traveling from London that they held seat open as long as possible for me.
Departed GLA on time, about to take up the hold at LHR when an unexpected fog bank rolled in, so instead of right hand turn to enter the hold, left hand turn with immediate divert to STN.
By time got refuelled and to LHR had missed the 2 IAH flights. Eventually got rebooked via EWR connecting onto Continental at EWR.
Got to EWR and had to sprint between terminals to make flight. Last passenger to board. 1 more minute and my seat was getting given to a gate standby. It was only fact I had been traveling from London that they held seat open as long as possible for me.
May 17, 2020, 5:49 pm
#57
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,563
A non-BA diversion, but worthy of mention.
AA flight from BWI-DFW-ICN. While at BWI I pointed out to a colleague that there was some nasty weather over Texas - he didn't seem to think it would be a problem, but knowing my luck... . Sure enough, about 60 minutes out of DFW (shortly after a course change towards DFW) I noticed a deviation to our flight path, and about 10-15 minutes later the pilot came on to say that we were diverting to Houston. When over Houston we were rerouted to Austin. We must have been there first, since we waited and watched other aircraft start parking up next to us. Unfortunately there was no space at the terminal, so we had to park up off-terminal and remain on board - a total of just under 5 hours! When we finally got going it was about another hour dodging the storms to get into DFW; upon the arrival the pilot personally thanked everyone for calm and consideration during our enforced stay! Anyway, our connection to ICN, although it too was delayed departing, had just left. Fortunately, having (then) Silver, we headed off to the Admirals club - past hundreds of other pax stuck in line to try and rearrange the flights. The line in the Admirals Club was very much shorter (!), and we went through a whole series of options - the best thing was to get across the Pacific - didn't matter where. Since all flights were really messed up by this time we managed to book onto a 7.5 hour late AA flight to Tokyo (NRT), which was rammed. Meanwhile, I managed get to myself and a couple of colleagues into the lounge for a quick respite before the 14+ hour flight. At Tokyo it was organisation personified - each passenger was greeted as we left the plane, onward tickets handed out (for a connecting flight the next next), a meal box, and directions to the bus to our (free) overnight hotel. Next day it was Air Korea over to ICN - in an empty 747. Needless to say out luggage arrived 4 days later, on the day we returned home!
AA flight from BWI-DFW-ICN. While at BWI I pointed out to a colleague that there was some nasty weather over Texas - he didn't seem to think it would be a problem, but knowing my luck... . Sure enough, about 60 minutes out of DFW (shortly after a course change towards DFW) I noticed a deviation to our flight path, and about 10-15 minutes later the pilot came on to say that we were diverting to Houston. When over Houston we were rerouted to Austin. We must have been there first, since we waited and watched other aircraft start parking up next to us. Unfortunately there was no space at the terminal, so we had to park up off-terminal and remain on board - a total of just under 5 hours! When we finally got going it was about another hour dodging the storms to get into DFW; upon the arrival the pilot personally thanked everyone for calm and consideration during our enforced stay! Anyway, our connection to ICN, although it too was delayed departing, had just left. Fortunately, having (then) Silver, we headed off to the Admirals club - past hundreds of other pax stuck in line to try and rearrange the flights. The line in the Admirals Club was very much shorter (!), and we went through a whole series of options - the best thing was to get across the Pacific - didn't matter where. Since all flights were really messed up by this time we managed to book onto a 7.5 hour late AA flight to Tokyo (NRT), which was rammed. Meanwhile, I managed get to myself and a couple of colleagues into the lounge for a quick respite before the 14+ hour flight. At Tokyo it was organisation personified - each passenger was greeted as we left the plane, onward tickets handed out (for a connecting flight the next next), a meal box, and directions to the bus to our (free) overnight hotel. Next day it was Air Korea over to ICN - in an empty 747. Needless to say out luggage arrived 4 days later, on the day we returned home!
Last edited by CKBA; May 18, 2020 at 12:04 am
May 17, 2020, 9:08 pm
#58
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,252
Was flying BA39 circa 2012...ish LHR-PEK..
Woke up in Siberia Irkutsk...
Its in the history of this forum ...somewhere,(I made a post at the time) one of the mods suggested that I do a trip report, unfortunately the hospitality of the Russians got the better of me....
Much respect to the Russians for that experience...I took me PE blanket from the plane when disembarking, thinking no visa no entry...stay here in some shed....
But we were put in a great hotel for two days, just not allowed outside the gates...
I think I left me EU comp in the bloody pool hall bar at the hotel..
Note to ones self, Siberia in Summer is great..Thank ??...it was not winter..
Woke up in Siberia Irkutsk...
Its in the history of this forum ...somewhere,(I made a post at the time) one of the mods suggested that I do a trip report, unfortunately the hospitality of the Russians got the better of me....
Much respect to the Russians for that experience...I took me PE blanket from the plane when disembarking, thinking no visa no entry...stay here in some shed....
But we were put in a great hotel for two days, just not allowed outside the gates...
I think I left me EU comp in the bloody pool hall bar at the hotel..
Note to ones self, Siberia in Summer is great..Thank ??...it was not winter..
BA039 LHR-Beijing makes emergency landing in Siberia - Navigation system failed
May 18, 2020, 6:45 pm
#60
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
my only diversion was in a Friday evening BACF flight to AGP. Due to fog we went to Valencia. After an hour or two on the ground we had another go and made it in. Obviously my paid transfer to my hotel had long gone by this point!