Have you been on a flight that diverted?

[jb747]

I nearly had a DFW to ANC flight diverted to SEA as all autopilots had been disabled (ironic given I'd departed SEA that morning) but the aircrew managed to manually fly all the way.

Much of the world's airspace is RVSM (reduced vertical separation) and a requirement of that is that the aircraft be flown on autopilot.

 

[serfty]

Much of the world's airspace is RVSM (reduced vertical separation) and a requirement of that is that the aircraft be flown on autopilot.

This was 2006, just after the US RVSM implementation. Moreover, I believe they flew at or around 30000' most of the way; I have vivid memories of West Canadian coastal Glaciers and snow appearing rather 'close' looking from my right-side windows as we flew. It was an ex TWA 757.

 

[Eastwick20]

Back in the 90's when Thai operated BKK/SYD/AKL with their 747 400's I as on the last leg and about 40 minutes out from AKL.
Assuming we would start our decent shortly i felt the aircraft gently bank to right and the moving map showing the aircraft beginning to track south down the coast of the North Island
Captain came on 15 minutes later to say AKL was closed due to fog and we were diverting to CHC instead.
It was fun to see all the Cabin Crew peering out the windows on final approach looking at a destination they normally never go to and much attention from ground crew at CHC at the rare sight of a TG 747 on the apron.

We stayed on board, refuelled and headed to AKL 3 hours later once it opened.

More recently when SYD was down to one runway I was on a VA flight MEL/SYD
We held for a long while and then diverted to CBR for a splash and dash before continuing to SYD.

 

[camperdown9]

Yes but nothing dramatic.

US Airways BOS -LGA 727. There was fog all down the US east coast we were due to leave around 10am but left about 4 hours late, circled over New York then diverted to DCA. After an hour or so they let us of the plane and into the terminal at DCA for a while. Eventually we took of and got to LGA around 9pm.

A few years later we were on a flight from STN to BHD with Ryanair. It started to snow at BHD and they had nothing to clear the runway with so were diverted to BFS.

Alex

 

[Scarlett]

So who are the luckiest people in this thread and who particularly unlucky?

I’ve had 1 diversion from 1171 flights. I think that makes me pretty lucky when reading the other posts.

 

[jb747]

I’ve had 1 diversion from 1171 flights. I think that makes me pretty lucky when reading the other posts.

That’s probably close to the actual diversion rate.

 

[AuSammy]

That’s probably close to the actual diversion rate.

Sounds about right. In just over 50yrs of flying, 1 diversion, 1 u-turn and back to origin, 1 threatened diversion and then changed their mind and we landed at scheduled destination late and a very hairy landing in wind sheer.