Intl pax held 4 hours on 100-degree plane at BDL, more DHS and airline stupidity
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,161
An airline, Virgin included, is a business. The business priority is to get the airplane and the crew where they are supposed to be, the passengers are literally just along for the ride.
When they diverted to BDL I'm sure the plan, most likely confirmed with the ops dept, was to wait until EWR opened up and then proceed there as soon as possible. It didn't work, the crew became illegal at which time plan B came into effect. Or would have had there been a plan B.
The "liars" in this episode are, as usual, the spokespersons. Or maybe they were just misinformed .
As for diverting elsewhere, we'd have to know at exactly what point in the flight it became known that EWR was not achievable. If BDL was the closest at the time then it would make little sense to turn around and go elsewhere.
When they diverted to BDL I'm sure the plan, most likely confirmed with the ops dept, was to wait until EWR opened up and then proceed there as soon as possible. It didn't work, the crew became illegal at which time plan B came into effect. Or would have had there been a plan B.
The "liars" in this episode are, as usual, the spokespersons. Or maybe they were just misinformed .
As for diverting elsewhere, we'd have to know at exactly what point in the flight it became known that EWR was not achievable. If BDL was the closest at the time then it would make little sense to turn around and go elsewhere.
The purpose of the business is to get passengers to their destination in a timely manner.
#77
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Salish Sea
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Posts: 8,974
Originally Posted by jamesdebcer
one of the passengers simply grabbed his stuff, opened the door
#78
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,161
Priority, purpose or any other term one might choose still leads back to getting passengers from one place.
#79
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 128
I think you misunderstood. Montreal is pretty close to BDL and probably a similar distance as Philadelphia. (Approx. 4-5 hrs driving to both). Depending where the flight was it was decided that it could not land in EWR, Montreal might have been a good option.
#80
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Salish Sea
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Posts: 8,974
OK, priority. The priority of an airline is to get passengers from point a to point b in an efficient manner. Crew, aircraft and the rest of the infrastructure needed to do that is what the airlines provide to get the job done.
Priority, purpose or any other term one might choose still leads back to getting passengers from one place.
Priority, purpose or any other term one might choose still leads back to getting passengers from one place.
If you want to believe that the passengers are the no. 1 priority governing the operation of a flight, go ahead. Maybe it should be, but it ain't.