Anyone know what happened w/ DL68 NRT-PDX diverting to Cold Bay?
 

DL68 NRT-PDX went into CDB in the Aleutian Islands today. It appears diversion was originally planned for AKN (King Salmon, AK) but CDB became the landing spot.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL68/history/20170114/0830Z/RJAA/PAKN

Presumably maintenance as a 763 is scheduled from SEA to CDB now.

Diversions to CDB usually bring good stories. Any FTers onboard?

Here's the ADN article about the diversion

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/avia...g-in-cold-bay/

Actually, it was engine trouble. That's why they had to be diverted to CDB. The pilots did the right thing to makes emergency landing into Cold Bay, AK.

So if CDB is the first landing in the US, immigration and customs in CDB?

The pax are probably held in a holding area if available.

Got curious about Cold Bay and found this article that indicates the town population is dwindling. Seems like keeping people there to operate the airport could be a real issue in the future. Are there other options in the region for emergency landings if needed?

https://www.adn.com/features/alaska-...d-in-cold-bay/

AKN was mentioned in the OP.

I was actually on the flight. :)

Great crew and not a bad experience but I was in business class. They allowed folks to stay on the plane until the replacement plane arrived - which was about 7-8 hours later.

My biggest complaint was that it actually took that long to get a replacement plane from Seattle???

I guess 7 or 8 hours on the plane is likely as good as 7 or 8 hours in an airport that isn't really equipped for 300 passengers?

I doubt that DL ever has a spare B763ER sitting idle at SEA. It may have had to come from somewhere else.

Ha! :cool:

I've actually been to CDB. It's got a long runway and not much else.

David

There are even more remote places. Bottom line is that if the runway can be cleared, that's all that is needed.

Doesn't have to have a lounge with 3 kinds of champagne for D1.

Someone will always complain that DL didn't have a spare fully crewed widebody sitting at some remote location.

I was not sitting on a plane in CDB for 7-8 hours so this colors my reaction I am sure, but I was pretty impressed with how quickly DL dispatched the replacement plane. The 763 that DL sent had landed in SEA from PVG at 7:35am so it was on the ground and available. However, DL had to source a 763 crew to work it. It then took 4 hours to fly the plane to CDB.

When you say they allowed folks to stay on the plane - do you mean people had the option to get off the aircraft and go into whatever terminal is there, entering the U.S.? Or were you required to stay on?

My memory was a bit fuzzy since I was just waking up from the landing - but the Captain indicated folks had the right to leave the plane and enter the terminal area which was the reception area / hall for the Cold Bay Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.

It sounded like some sort of passenger right to disembark after a certain amount of time?

It was around 6am so most folks stayed on the plane - but there was a semi steady trickle of folks once the sun came up. The terminal area was really just a small/medium reception hall with chairs, coffee, snacks. Business class seats was much nicer - and most folks just went back to sleep until the replacement plane arrived.

The crew was great - they kept offering drinks, snacks, and even served corn dogs which was interesting since where did they find those?!? :)