Irish Flights on 9/11

Locker10a

I'm not sure if this has been discussed before but I read this article

http://www.joe.ie/news/the-incredible-story-of-a-plane-forced-to-land-in-canada-on-september-11-2001/559730

I had heard of similar stories before and find it incredible, anyway it prompted me to ask you, the boards aviation community to share any knowledge of what happened to Irish flights on that tragic day.
There must have been a few EI transatlantic flights caught up in a similar situation?
What happened to European flights? Were they also immediately diverted ?
I was still in school on that day, and I'll never forget it but I'm sure there were those of you who were flying that day, working in the industry, what are your memories ?

john boye

http://www.airliners.net/photo/-/-/191693/L


Hope that link works. I only came across this pic earlier funnily enough. The second plane up from the bottom left appears to be an EI A330. Was taken in Gander on 9/11

Locker10a

Thanks, that's an incredible photo, I wonder have any of the Irish passengers or crew shared their experiences of those flight?
I find the whole story of the diversions and displacement to Canadian towns fascinating

EchoIndia

Some flights turned back over the Atlantic. I think two or three BA heavies landed at DUB.

Irish Steve

A number of Delta flights were diverted into Dublin, and to make things worse, we were given specific instructions that we were not to disclose anything about the reason why to the incoming passengers, who at that time were still unaware of the events that had been happening.

Tenger

john boye wrote: »

http://www.airliners.net/photo/-/-/191693/L


Hope that link works. I only came across this pic earlier funnily enough. The second plane up from the bottom left appears to be an EI A330. Was taken in Gander on 9/11

I knew a couple of the EI crew who ended up in Gander on said A330. (I think it was only 1-2 got stuck, think the others turned back for home?)
They said it was surreal, aircraft doors open for fresh air, looking over at all the other aircraft jammed together, other crews doing the same, trying to shout to each other. All bewildered, not knowing what was going to happen.
And Canadian mobile networks being what they were/are, no one was able to use their mobile phone. (No mobile roaming)


I also know/knew 2 EI crew who were in NY on Sept 11th 2001. They were stuck there during the citywide lockdown and FAA no fly period. Even now one of them gets sensitive around this time of year.

At the time people realises it was an earth shattering event but I dont think anyone realised 15yrs laters its secondary effects are still occuring.

roundymac

EchoIndia wrote: »

Some flights turned back over the Atlantic. I think two or three BA heavies landed at DUB.

Am I correct in saying a number diverted to SNN?

PukkaStukka

john boye wrote: »

http://www.airliners.net/photo/-/-/191693/L


Hope that link works. I only came across this pic earlier funnily enough. The second plane up from the bottom left appears to be an EI A330. Was taken in Gander on 9/11

Apparently the operators in Gander had the presence of mind to take out their mothballed Y2K contingency plans and use these for inspiration as for what to do during 9/11. Their Y2K plans obviously took into account the possibility of catering for mass landings. Smart move!

cowboyBuilder

I remember my uncle telling me an interesting story about an Irish man who emigrated to America back in the 50/60s - not sure exactly but
on his first trip to the US, they stopped at Gander for standard refuelling.
Since then he had gotten direct flights, and he was on the way to the US that day and ended up in Gander.
He really had mixed feelings about everything - tragic as the day was, it was also very nostalgic for him returning to the first port of
call on the North American continent.

alastair

I was on a couple of flights that day. Ryanair from Ancona to Stansted, and then on to Dublin. Ancona was a bit strange - all the passengers were moved from one area in the (small) airport to another, delayed, left to our own devices for a strange amount of time, and then ushered quickly into the plane in a very un-Italian fashion. Landed in Stansted none the wiser, but there was an obvious heightened state of security at play - more police patrolling with machine guns than normal. Had a quick glance in W.H.Smith to see if there had been any bombs in London, but nothing notable in the newspaper headlines. Kept catching snatches of strange conversations in passing. It was only on getting into the departure lounge that I saw crowds watching TV monitors and smoke coming from the WTC. Landed in Dublin unaware that the towers had fallen, and the Airport was jammers with people from transatlantic flights that had been turned back looking for accomodation etc. Got home and spent the rest of the day in front of the box trying to grasp what had happened.

A Dub in Glasgo

More detail on the Canadian response to the events

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Yellow_Ribbon

notharrypotter

roundymac wrote: »

Am I correct in saying a number diverted to SNN?

Yes.

jimbis

One the the more memorable pics from the diversions that day would be this one aswell.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Continental-Airlines/Boeing-767-224-ER/188150

knucklehead6

I can understand the civilian aircraft landing in Gander, but there's a C-5 there too. I would've thought that Military jets would be exempt and told to continue on to their destination

FrancieBrady

Gerry Ryan's son Rex was in an interesting play based on these events.
http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/review-pilgrim-1.1926876

Stovepipe

One of the problems at the Canadian and other airports was an insufficiency of steps to get people off, once the airbridges and mobile steps were all in place. Maintenance steps were used in a lot of cases, and they are not suitable for normal pax use. I remember one of our 330 pilots saying that they simply handed out all the available grub and water, as time went on and there arose the problem of toilet tanks getting filled and insufficient waste vehicles available. Some airport officials wanted people kept on the aircraft, other simply opened the terminals and bedded people down on any available space....... I was in Atlanta airport once and there were massive delays because of weather and mass diversions so they simply got a thousand folding cots from the Army and bedded down anyone that hadn't already found a surface to sleep on. The next day, they cleared it all away and left the place spotless.