Where have you been diverted?

[Robert S]

Not really a diversion and if we are going to count it, I think I'm in the running for most boring diversion ever.

Was coming back from Europe on Lufthansa in the 80s, routing was FRA-AUH-KUL-MEL-SYD. The Melbourne ATC were threatening a strike so they decided to operate direct from KUL-SYD, but then the pilots were concerned about possible additional hold delays, so wanted more fuel.

It was during Ramadan and it was approaching sunset... apparently there was some issue that they couldn't refuel with pax aboard unless there was a rep from the fire service present, but they refused to come out - plus in any case by the time we were deboarded it was time for dinner and apparently the refuellers weren't prepared to refuel the aircraft then anyway.

They ended up taking us all off to a function room upstairs in the airport where unlimited sandwiches and post-mix softdrinks were laid on until we eventually re-boarded the aircraft and came straight to SYD, arriving around the original intended arrival time.

MEL pax were met at the bottom of the aircraft steps (we parked at the end of the piers and had no aerobridge) and bussed over to the domestic terminal... not quite sure what arrangement they had in place for customs and immigration - was pretty young at the time and totally exhausted.

[Simon C]

Ansett B767-200 SYD-BNE diverted to the Gold Coast due storms in Brisbane. After an hour on the ground the 767-200 departed to Brisbane which was a very short hop.

[Peter Lea]

American Airlines Dc10 flt 2745 LAX-HNL-SYD back in 1989, had to land at AKL to take on fuel due to an aircraft refuellers strike in Sydney.

[StephenP]

On route to Palau from Guam, one attempted landing in Palau aborted due to heavy rain and poor visibility then diverted to Yap intl to wait for weather to clear.

[Grahame Hutchison]

After almost 50 years of flying, covering more than 1,000,000 km (and FF points), across 5 continents, by airlines and myself, I have never been diverted once. No engine failures, go arounds (except at Bankstown) or technical problems what so ever. I have had the oxygen masks drop down in my row only on takeoff from Sydney in a TAA Boeing 727, but this was just a malfunction on the overhead unit.

The only real stuff up I have experienced was departing Lisbon in Portugal. When I arrived at the airport in the evening to fly to Heathrow to catch QF2 home, I was faced with mass flight cancellations because of the British Airways B777 crash at Heathrow. I had to stay overnight in Lisbon, was transferred from British Airways to Air Portugal, flying out mid morning on TP352 to Heathrow (delayed an hour or so because of fog in Lisbon). I had now been re-ticketed to come home via Tokyo with British Airways then Qantas, however our arrival was delayed and when I reached the gate the aircraft door had just been closed. QF2 was fully booked that evening so I was transferred to BA15, a B777 the same as the one that just crashed. I managed to photograph the disabled B777 on the runway during the afternoon then had a long wait for the flight home.

All up something like 52 hours door to door from Lisbon to Sydney.

Flying isn't dangerous, CRASHING is what's dangerous.

[Jon B]

2 diversions
First one was into Canberra due to fog in Sydney one Friday in June a few years back. Sat in Canberra on RAAF side for a few hours and refuelled then eventually got to Syd intime for my return flight which was then delayed from the knock on delays. Was only going up for the day for a meeting and had returns booked on QF and DJ flexible as my wife 9on maternity leave from QF) was due with our second daughter on the Monday following so was phoning home regularly that day. Emma was born a week later.

Second time was landing into LHR with go around due to strong cross winds and then diverted to Amsterdam for fuel. Back to LHR a few hours later still strong cross winds but great landing. Crew were just on limit for hours so they were keen to get to London

[David C]

I was diverted twice on the same flight .... I was supposed to fly Denver -LGW , but due to low Viz we diverted to Manchester . After a few hours on the deck , and the captain claiming that the weather would improve at LGW ( not very likely in the late afternoon in December ! ) , we eventually got airborne . The cabin crew announced we were landing at Brussels , while the cockpit crew announced LGW ... We landed at LHR !!! ... We were effectively " abandoned " by Continental Airlines at this stage , and made our own way to LGW in a taxi ..

Recently I diverted into MEL on the EY450 from AUH due low viz at SYD ... No problems with Etihad , kept informed at all times and arrived at SYD just a little late .

Dave C

[Geoff W]

My experiences have been very low key in over 40 years of flying.

A threatened diversion to Syd from Akl to Mel way back in the early 70s, the time we were ready to divert Mel was clear.

Did have lunch onboard a UA aircraft in Mel in the early 90's due to a defective cargo door, the part didnt make it into Mel from Syd (due to a domestic pilots dispute, remember them?) before the crew ran out of hours. We left the next day. Not a diversion I know!

Landing into Adl on a foggy morning, we ( "I think" had too much speed on to land), we zipped off again just prior to touchdown, did a circle and landed no probs on this 2nd attempt.

We were in Detroit in 99, it was snowing like no tomorrow. We had just arrived from Toronto into a blizzard I swear. Very smooth just couldnt see a thing until we actually touched down.

70 mins later after being de-iced twice (once at the gate, second time at the take off point) we were ready to take off for Seattle. De-icing is unreal, I had never experienced it.

We were cruising in brilliant sunshine the captain came on and said gee we have had a good day guys, we were the second last flight out of Detroit before they closed the airport. He was right....

The intense snowstorms just crippled most of northern USA airspace for DAYS seriously...and of course affected other ports around the country with the flow- on effects.

I havent had so many round world sort of trips as some, but I have had a very large number of flights. Only continent I havent been to is Africa.

So I consider myself very lucky if these are the only events (apart from the usual small delays) that are normally picked up or close to in flight anyway.

Kind regards,

Geoff