Amusing or Interesting Reasons for a Delayed Flight Departure

[dairyfloss]

Earlier today, on QF81 SYD-SIN, we were advised shortly prior to our scheduled departure that our flight would in fact be delayed due to the fact that the rostered first officer had left his passport at home, and so they had to find another FO...

Thankfully, one was on standby, or some other switch was made, and we were on our way about 30 mins after the scheduled departure (and with a short flight time we were still on schedule into SIN), but it had me wondering about other amusing or interesting reasons for delayed departures (weather etc. aside) that the AFF community has experienced.

Discuss.

 

[drron]

We were delayed for 10 minutes on the runway at JFK for a tortoise to cross before we could take off.

 

[marki]

We were delayed (following the animal theme) by a bird strike. Seagull got ingested into one of the engines. The captains surname was Bird. I have picture somewhere and will post it when I find it.

 

[Shelf]

Earlier today, on QF81 SYD-SIN, we were advised shortly prior to our scheduled departure that our flight would in fact be delayed due to the fact that the rostered first officer had left his passport at home, and so they had to find another FO...

Notwithstanding any action from the employer, I'd expect the social club to dish out an appropriate punishment!

 

[AIRwin]

We were delayed (following the animal theme) by a bird strike. Seagull got ingested into one of the engines. The captains surname was Bird. I have picture somewhere and will post it when I find it.

Was it on VH-OQA?

 

[dairyfloss]

We were delayed for 10 minutes on the runway at JFK for a tortoise to cross before we could take off.

I think we already have our winner!

 

[Hvr]

We were delayed for 10 minutes on the runway at JFK for a tortoise to cross before we could take off.

I don't want to split hares but surely a tortoise would take a lot longer than ten minutes to cross a runway?

 

[Simo]

We landed at MKY and where told we had to wait because they had run out of stairs.

A Tiger flight and also a VA flight and then QF came in at the same time.

You think they could have either invested in another set of stairs or only used one on either Tiger or VA's flight.

Maybe they could have shared them around not just left them there the entire time.

We waited about 10 or 15 minutes.

I did want to use the emergency slide

 

[TomVexille]

I think we already have our winner!

Actually quite common. happens every year at JFK

Mating turtles shut down runway at JFK - CNN.com

 

[Intra]

Probably not as random as some, but certainly fresh in my mind & something I think proved a point...

Was waiting with a mate of mine yesterday who was on JQ BNE-MKY, thus in the LCC Pier of airlines - Rarely there as I fly VA and enjoy the comforts of The Lounge - Round the same time a TT flight to MEL advised passengers (Most already in a queue waiting to board??) that there would be a delay due to "Boarding Issues". The heck they are I have no idea

Next announcement came 10 minutes later advising of no air-con on the aircraft, and while they are still trying to fix the "boarding problem" onboard the aircraft, it's better they stay in the terminal anyway...

I lost it at that point laughing; Why I would never fly Tiger!!

 

[drron]

I don't want to split hares but surely a tortoise would take a lot longer than ten minutes to cross a runway?

I think the beast had a little assistance across the runway but as I didn't have one of the seats with a forward view I cant be certain.

Actually quite common. happens every year at JFK

Mating turtles shut down runway at JFK - CNN.com

The captain said it wasn't the first time he had experienced it.All the pax were amused though.

 

[markis10]

I think the beast had a little assistance across the runway but as I didn't have one of the seats with a forward view I cant be certain.

If you ever run into a safety officer from a major airport have a good chat, they see the darnedest things in their normal working day.

 

[serfty]

Mangoes!

A little over 7 years ago ... (Dec 2006):

I'm waiting in AKL for boarding to commence for my Air NZ flight to MEL. This has been delayed 40 minutes as, on the inbound flight from Nandi, luggage had been checked containing Melons.

Apparently, they exploded while in flight and the hold of the A320 now has to be scrubbed before luggage can be loaded!

That's a completely new one on me ...

...

Actually; after making my way back to the gate an announcement was made that it wasn't exploding Melons but Exploding Mangoes!

By the time we boarded I was still wondering how mangoes could actually explode. Melons, possibly, but mangoes?

All became clear with the Pilot's pre-flight announcement that it was in fact jars of pickled mangoes that had indeed exploded and it was a corrosive pickling fluid that had leaked out into the hold, necessitating cleanup before it damaged the aircraft.

On a more mundane note, we waited another 40 minutes after boarding while the passenger luggage was loaded
...

 

[amaroo]

Re: Mangoes!

Power surge while still connected to SYD terminal. All passengers off and the mad scramble to get on another bird began.

 

[Robbi]

Re: Mangoes!

A little over 7 years ago ... (Dec 2009):...

Is it 2016 already? ;-)

 

[AIRwin]

Is it 2016 already? ;-)

Or rather 2017?

 

[serfty]

Re: Mangoes!

Is it 2016 already? ;-)

my keypad must have been rendering upside down upon posting - 2006 ...

 

[tuapekastar]

Have posted before, but while waiting at the gate to board a MEL-AKL QF flight an announcement was made to the effect that "there will be a delay to this flight because we cannot locate the crew". And there was!

 

[anat0l]

Not quite delayed departure, or somewhat...

One time a whole bunch of us were doing a F Lounge run and were at SYD T1 ready to go through departures with BPs, but then the power went off. Most of the terminal had suffered a blackout. Only a smattering of non-essential facilities (viz. retail shops) somehow retained power, but check-in rows were down, FIDS were down, immigration and security screening was down, and we later found out that arrival procedures were also down, which created an unpleasant backlog at both passenger flow ends.

The crowd outside departures backed up for a while. No one was being processed at all. We waited in the clump outside. The media arrived - naturally, much faster than any technician could restore the power. They started shooting footage and shaking down passengers for their usual sycophantic tale for the prime time news.

Eventually, a man with a megaphone took position in front of departures. He informed us that people would be processed in batches, about 10-20 at a time. To simplify the flow, of course the Express Path - which we normally would be eligible for - was not open, so we all had to re-hike and push and shove with everyone else through the regular entry to departures.

Overall, the whole recovery process was a bit of a debacle. Maybe they did the best they could under the conditions, but the whole thing still exuded shambolicness. The media, of course in their hunt for a story, didn't help or care even a fraction of an iota for the situation (indeed, quite the opposite). The power came back on at some time after we had passed through departures.

Later, our flight was minimally delayed, but anyone who had checked in bags for the flight was informed on board that baggage was not loaded due to the earlier problems with the power outage. Needless to say, our short tag flight to MEL was a tad faster than usual.

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

I've been delayed in Melbourne before as a heap of native birds flew in while the side doors were open and the plane was being restocked. We waited to try and ensure they had them all. The captain even offering a bottle of champers to anyone who could catch one.

Eventually we got underway but alas they hadn't got them all. About two hours into the flight the captain came on advising the booze was still on offer as there was apparently one loose in the business class captain. He also added that he thought there was one stuck up behind his rudder pedal.

The captain added that 37 years in aviation, he had never witnessed this before!