UAPremierGuy

Been diverted to COS several times and have seen passengers who so desired be allowed off the aircraft. ^

Only been diverted on AA one time to BUF going ORD-LGA. We sat in the penalty box, so nobody was allowed off.

WineCountryUA

As others have mentioned, this is a YMMV situation but it does happen. On a SFO--ATL flight 3-4 years ago, we were day time diverted to BNA due to ATL weather where the crew allowed BNA area resident with no check luggage to deplane. Note initially it was not clear if we were going to be connected to a jetway, if we had not, it would have been a no go. Wonder if the airline needs to pay extra for the use of a jetway in the case of a diversion.


You would have been disappointed as typically there is no extra miles for a diversion or return to origin
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...n-airport.html

jlemon

Several years ago we were on board an AA flight from MIA to DFW that diverted to SAT due to weather. Those folks who were traveling to SAT via DFW were allowed to deplane at SAT (but I'm not sure about their checked bags).

catocony

I've done this several times. GRU has frequently bad weather, and the UA 860/861 flight used to divert to GIG (my final destination) fairly frequently.

I've also hopped off in Richmond and drove back home when a flight was diverted from Dulles. When I used to fly US Air out of National, I would get diverted to BWI at least once a year due to the flight being late and not able to land at DCA due to engine noise.

One thing to definitely do is stop off at the gate to let them know the deal. I would think their could be an issue on your return flight if you hopped off in the inbound and somehow you got entered into the system as a no-show on reboarding. They could cancel your return at that point by mistake.

Kadomony

Just this Saturday morning I was on a flight from ORD-SAN that diverted to OMA for a medical emergency. A passenger asked if she could get off (we were at a gate) and the flight attendant said she could, but wouldn't be allowed to re-board.

vsevolod4

My history: "It depends."
I had one flight where I had NRT-SFO-IAD-PHL and the SFO-IAD got diverted to EWR, which is just as close. In this case we did park at a jetway and they expected a hefty wait, and they let me off in EWR.
Other flights, they wouldn't let me off. Some times without a good reason.
But flight HKG-EWR 10 days ago was delayed and then had a stop in SFO to pick up more crew because the delay created a crew rest issue. We were in SFO for 5 hours, because it turned out to be a mechanical. But as we were not immigration cleared, they wouldn't let us leave, which makes sense.

tods27

This. If you are at a gate, it's pretty easy. If you divert to an airport that has UA ground crew, you might be able to get transport to the terminal even if you are at a remote waiting area. If you divert to a station with no UA ground crew, the chances are slim (note that if UA doesn't operate out of an airport, you're probably not going to pull up to a jet bridge).

It all depends...

ftweb

I had friends flying into SFO who got diverted to OAK and said United wouldn't allow anyone to deplane, even though I would gladly have picked them up in Oakland. That said, they weren't particularly savvy fliers and might have checked bags, so I was left wondering if I could have gotten a different result in their shoes.

It was so long ago that I don't remember the details of United's excuse, but is it possible that they avoided paying a landing fee or something by holding the plane in a penalty box and not using any ground services or gates?

94010flyer

Last winter, I was flying SFO-PVG-HND on United, but due to headwinds we had to stop in NRT for refueling. When they announced the fueling stop, I actually thought I could just take my carryon and get off, but alas, we didn't even get to a gate, we taxied to a fueling place and took off after 20 minutes.

Due to the diversion and fueling stop my 4 hour layover in PVG was reduced to one hour. Luckily I made my connection to HND. It would have been crazy if the refueling delay had caused me to miss my connection to Tokyo, after having been there a few hours before!

danielonn

If I was on a flight originally going to SFO but we diverted to SJC my home you can be damn straight I am getting off at SJC which is a reason to maybe not book a ride and just use Uber/Lyft for the home ride. Everyone else would more than likely be bused to SFO and they would retrieve their luggage at SJC.

For me I would just head home and inform the airline that I don't need the bus.

CCIE_Flyer

Admittedly it's been some years, but at least twice that I can recall I've been diverted from DEN to COS, with COS as my final destination. Wound up sitting on the ground endlessly, eventually hopping up to DEN, and rebooking for a later DEN->COS. Extremely frustrating, to say the least. And anybody who's experienced with this route knows how much fun it can be on any old day, let alone a severe weather day - to do it twice in a row, needlessly no less, is absurd.

drvannostren

I would say it'd be case by case.

If you have checked baggage, the airline would do everything they could to avoid it in the interest of saving time. However, if the plane is on the ground for like 2 hours already, it might be the case where you could talk them into giving you your bag.

If you've got carry on only and they let you deplane, at that point they can't really force you back on. You'll forfeit miles and the rest of your booking (if there is any other than the connecting leg) but it shouldn't be an issue.

gcashin

It's not correct to say that there are no customs issues here. Pre cleared flights travel with an approval that specifies point of departure and point of disembarkation. The flight can only disembark at the airport specified so even if the airline wanted to let pax off, they're not permitted without customs approval. There is a process for the airline to request approval from CBP to disembark at an alternate destination, but airlines generally don't want to go down that path unless they don't have other options.

Here's a thread with the more details on the customs considerations
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...er-flight.html

SkiAdcock

Agree it can be case by case.

I wasn't diverted, but flying LAX-ORD-GRR. ORD got hit w/ major winter storm & flights before/after my connecting flight to GRR were canceled. Mine showed still going, but I knew it probably would get canceled, as it was continually pushed back, & I'd end up overnighting at ORD. I talked to gate agent & said tell me the truth, do you think it's going to go? Because if not I can scramble into downtown Chicago & catch Amtrak home, but there's only 1 Amtrak & I'll be cutting it close so I pretty much have to know now. I do have checked luggage, but I'll drive to GRR from home & get it tomorrow when flights resume/realize you don't have to have it delivered to me. Agent, said take Amtrak. I got on the blue line & 10 minutes later got the UA update saying my flight was canceled. Of course if I had been in a diverted situation w/ checked luggage, that wouldn't have worked (unless it was a long diversion & they had time to offload luggage).

I've also been in 2 diversions, where one was ok w/ letting us deplane w/ carry-on & one said no.

Cheers.

reclusive46

I was on a flight to PSP (Palm Springs) from YYC but got diverted to Los Angeles and was allowed to get off in Los Angeles, but maybe Canadian airlines have different rules.