Due at LGW on Sunday, question about diversion [Drone 2018]
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Singapore
Posts: 14
Due at LGW on Sunday, question about diversion [Drone 2018]
I'm due in at LGW on Sunday from HK. If I go without checked bags and the flight is diverted, will they let me off the flight at the diversion where I can finish the journey by train?
I have a Schengen passport.
I have a Schengen passport.
#2
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
You should wait and see how the situation is tomorrow. If your flight does divert, then getting to a destination may not be quite as straightforward. Yesterday, flights were diverted as far South as Bordeaux. Getting by train or even car back to London is no easy task.
#3
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#4
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With flights re-starting at LGW this morning I would expect this to resolve before then anyway. In general, however, you should not expect to be allowed off a flight at a diversion airport because of the myriad of obstacles:
- does everyone on the plane have the right to entry (even if still in the UK, some passengers might be in transit)?
- can the diversion airport, often much smaller than the intended destination, cope with the influx of passengers?
- are there any immigration facilities available at the time of landing?
- how long is the plane expected to remain at the diversion airport for?
- does everyone on the plane have the right to entry (even if still in the UK, some passengers might be in transit)?
- can the diversion airport, often much smaller than the intended destination, cope with the influx of passengers?
- are there any immigration facilities available at the time of landing?
- how long is the plane expected to remain at the diversion airport for?
#5
Join Date: Sep 2012
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If you're taking CX344, it was diverted to LHR yesterday and cancelled today, likely because there's no way to know whether LGW will be open 15 hours in advance.
My guess is that if LGW closes intermittently again, CX will continue to cancel the LGW flight, rather than having to risk another diversion after the plane has taken off. From my experiences in previous years the flights are usually not full at this time, but in the London-bound direction they are very full the few days before UK schools/universities resume. (Probably because some people just skip the last few days of school so HK-bound traffic is spread over a longer period)
As CX has 5 daily LHR flights and there are 2 BA LHR flights (though I recall there might be some reductions in the Christmas week), they may have found enough capacity to spread out the LGW pax
If CX had to divert an LGW flight somewhere other than LHR, I assume they would choose MAN or CDG where they have handling agents already though of course as mentioned, it isn't guaranteed that people would be allowed off to continue by their own means.
My guess is that if LGW closes intermittently again, CX will continue to cancel the LGW flight, rather than having to risk another diversion after the plane has taken off. From my experiences in previous years the flights are usually not full at this time, but in the London-bound direction they are very full the few days before UK schools/universities resume. (Probably because some people just skip the last few days of school so HK-bound traffic is spread over a longer period)
As CX has 5 daily LHR flights and there are 2 BA LHR flights (though I recall there might be some reductions in the Christmas week), they may have found enough capacity to spread out the LGW pax
If CX had to divert an LGW flight somewhere other than LHR, I assume they would choose MAN or CDG where they have handling agents already though of course as mentioned, it isn't guaranteed that people would be allowed off to continue by their own means.