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BA flight lands in Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf by mistake

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Comments

  • #2
    IQO
    Registered Users Posts: 336 ✭✭IQO


    https://twitter.com/PJamesHamilton/status/1110179530491215873

    https://twitter.com/denshigishi/status/1110109085406584833

    :D


  • #3
    PCros
    Registered Users Posts: 2,067 ✭✭✭PCros


    Could be that the roster said one thing and the pilots thought another and filed a flight plan to Edinburgh?

    Question is though - the cabin crew must have thought they were going to Dusseldorf? They would have checked boarding passes and gave the pre-flight welcome.

    Is their a growing disconnect between pilots and cabin crew now? Only reason I ask is that I overheard cabin crew on two flights recently talking about how some pilots are nice but that most would just grunt down the phone if they were asked if they wanted a tea or coffee etc.


  • #4
    Locker10a
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭Locker10a


    PCros wrote: »
    Could be that the roster said one thing and the pilots thought another and filed a flight plan to Edinburgh?

    Question is though - the cabin crew must have thought they were going to Dusseldorf? They would have checked boarding passes and gave the pre-flight welcome.

    Is their a growing disconnect between pilots and cabin crew now? Only reason I ask is that I overheard cabin crew on two flights recently talking about how some pilots are nice but that most would just grunt down the phone if they were asked if they wanted a tea or coffee etc.

    BA no longer instruct cabin crew to check boarding cards while entering the aircraft.
    Irish airlines still do this as it’s a regulation from the IAA. In light of this monumental cock up, that policy may be reviewed by BA


  • #5
    IngazZagni
    Registered Users Posts: 1,586 ✭✭✭IngazZagni


    Doesn't BA (and Aer Lingus) still have a very old fashioned way of doing things were the pilots only meet the cabin crew once they are on board the aircraft? So there may be no communication to confirm they are both intending to go to the same destination. It doesnt promote a healthy teamwork environment. Also surely the pilot at some stage made a PA saying welcome on board this flight to Edinburgh or something? Seems extraordinary. What an embarrassing thing to happen.

    Edit: apparently it was operated by German company WDL aviation. My same question still applies however.


  • #6
    Nijmegen
    Registered Users Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭Nijmegen


    More details here in the story now. Operated by WDL, the docket said Edinburgh so that's where they went. The captain asked for a show of hands as to who wanted to go to Dusseldorf apparently, and figured it out. Sounds like a dispatch error.


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  • #7
    Locker10a
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭Locker10a


    Nijmegen wrote: »
    More details here in the story now. Operated by WDL, the docket said Edinburgh so that's where they went. The captain asked for a show of hands as to who wanted to go to Dusseldorf apparently, and figured it out. Sounds like a dispatch error.

    Had the boarding cards been checked during boarding in LCY this wouldn’t have happened.


  • #8
    Tenger
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 9,718 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    Wow, just WOW.

    Obviously the German company just followed the flight plan provided by BA Flight Planning Ops, not realized the normal route?
    Was an Edinburgh bound aircraft sent the Düsseldorf flight plan in error as well?

    If this was a normal franchise operation would the crew not be familiar with the flights numbers and routings?


  • #9
    Noxegon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Noxegon


    Tenger wrote: »
    Wow, just WOW.

    No, British Airways.

    I develop Superior Solitaire when I'm not procrastinating on boards.ie.



  • #10
    billy few mates
    Registered Users Posts: 6,920 ✭✭✭billy few mates


    Tenger wrote: »
    Wow, just WOW.

    Obviously the German company just followed the flight plan provided by BA Flight Planning Ops, not realized the normal route?
    Was an Edinburgh bound aircraft sent the Düsseldorf flight plan in error as well?

    If this was a normal franchise operation would the crew not be familiar with the flights numbers and routings?

    I doubt that, the crews are normally expected to confirm the data they enter into the FMS not just follow it blindly. With modern technology like this they would also have to enter STARS for the arrivals and engage with ATC along the route and at the destination.
    There is no way they could have accidentally turned up at Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf.


  • #11
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,541 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    roadmaster wrote: »
    Shortly after take off would ATC not have noticed there was a jet going somewhere it shouldn’t be?

    No as they followed their flight plan.

    Simon Calder suggests that simply they filed the previous day’s plan by mistake.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ba-british-airways-passengers-london-city-wrong-airport-edinburgh-dusseldorf-a8839136.html


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  • #12
    flazio
    Registered Users Posts: 12,783 ✭✭✭✭flazio


    Apparently ATC don't have that schedule. The pilot would request permission to fly towards a waypoint and off it goes.


  • #13
    billy few mates
    Registered Users Posts: 6,920 ✭✭✭billy few mates


    flazio wrote: »
    Apparently ATC don't have that schedule. The pilot would request permission to fly towards a waypoint and off it goes.
    That's not how it works...


  • #14
    Locker10a
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭Locker10a


    billy few mates wrote: »
    That's not how it works...

    Agreed, controllers would know the destination


  • #15
    crushproof
    Registered Users Posts: 2,710 ✭✭✭crushproof


    LXFlyer wrote: »
    No as they followed their flight plan.

    Simon Calder suggests that simply they filed the previous day’s plan by mistake.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ba-british-airways-passengers-london-city-wrong-airport-edinburgh-dusseldorf-a8839136.html

    Reliable Simon on the ball. OT but I thoroughly enjoy his articles in the Independent.


  • #16
    sjb25
    Registered Users Posts: 3,375 ✭✭✭sjb25


    Some advice for the pilot from a wise man


  • #17
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,236 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Locker10a wrote: »
    BA no longer instruct cabin crew to check boarding cards while entering the aircraft.
    How do they know if the right people are on board and that all luggage is accompanied?


  • #18
    Locker10a
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭Locker10a


    Victor wrote: »
    How do they know if hte right people are on board and that all luggage is accompanied?

    It’s left up to ground/gate staff!! I’m really surprised by this, it’s not permitted by the IAA and I’m surprised given the high security threat level in the U.K. the U.K. caa allows it


  • #19
    road_high
    Registered Users Posts: 19,385 ✭✭✭✭road_high


    Usually they welcome you to the flight to xxxxx and flight time in xxxxx and weather in xxxxxx.
    Surely if they said Edinburgh then a lot of people would have noticed? Was there no PA announcement on board?


  • #20
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,241 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    Locker10a wrote: »
    BA no longer instruct cabin crew to check boarding cards while entering the aircraft.
    Irish airlines still do this as it’s a regulation from the IAA. In light of this monumental cock up, that policy may be reviewed by BA

    They only check the date on the boarding cards


  • #21
    GM228
    Registered Users Posts: 8,925 ✭✭✭GM228


    I'm just hoping for the next AN-225 for Shannon to "mistakenly" land in Dublin :)


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  • #22
    Tenger
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 9,718 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    billy few mates wrote: »
    I doubt that, the crews are normally expected to confirm the data they enter into the FMS not just follow it blindly. With modern technology like this they would also have to enter STARS for the arrivals and engage with ATC along the route and at the destination.
    There is no way they could have accidentally turned up at Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf.
    Sorry, wasn’t clear. I was querying if the crew when just following the flight plan without being familiar with the route. Almost like a last minute duty change.

    Obviously being rostered LCY-DUS and seeing a LCY-EDI flight plan would be questioned.


  • #23
    Irish Steve
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 6,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Irish Steve


    When I first saw this, I wondered if the issue was that the ramp staff pointed the passengers at the wrong aircraft, but given that it was a hire in with a German crew, I am now wondering if the despatch office gave them the wrong flight documents, so they were given the EDI flight plan instead of the DUS flight plan. Either way, that's a serious egg on face moment that won't be forgotten any time soon. There are so many inconsistencies with this story, it beggars belief that it could happen and nobody noticed, even without the checking of boarding cards. In the same vein,I find it strange on a Monday that the regulars (and there will be regulars) didn't cop the discrepancies during the flight, unless they were in cloud all the way, the sun would have been in the wrong place, they'd have not flown over water shortly after departure, etc.etc. Very strange all round, but it clearly did happen.

    Shore, if it was easy, everybody would be doin it.😁



  • #24
    Locker10a
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭Locker10a


    ted1 wrote: »
    They only check the date on the boarding cards

    Who only checks the date? The gate staff scan the boarding cards and the computer will accept it or not.
    Then at the entrance to the aircraft the cabin crew will check flight number, destination and date, if it’s a twin aisle they’ll check the seat number too so you know which aisle to head down. However BA removed this procedure for their crew and airlines operating their flights. Hence on this flight the crew, going to Edinburgh didn’t notice that all the pax had Dusseldorf boarding cards


  • #25
    jasper100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 455 ✭✭jasper100


    road_high wrote: »
    Usually they welcome you to the flight to xxxxx and flight time in xxxxx and weather in xxxxxx.
    Surely if they said Edinburgh then a lot of people would have noticed? Was there no PA announcement on board?


    I assume the cabin crew went and announced Dusseldorf as normal but the boys and girls up front possibly wouldn't have heard this.


  • #26
    Topgear on Dave
    Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Topgear on Dave


    Somebody in Specsavers marketing department looked at the news and realised that this absolutely beautiful gift had landed right in their lap. :pac:

    https://twitter.com/Specsavers/status/1110203732187332608


  • #27
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,236 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Actually, all the cabin crew had to do was check one / some boarding cards and the problem would have been avoided. Make it a rule that flight crew have to check two boarding cards with the cabin crew and that cabin crew have to check 10%.


  • #28
    Locker10a
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭Locker10a


    jasper100 wrote: »
    I assume the cabin crew went and announced Dusseldorf as normal but the boys and girls up front possibly wouldn't have heard this.

    No I’d say the cabin crew announced Edinburgh, the cabin crew and flight crew wouldn’t have been operating two separate flights, it’s a legal requirement that cabin crew and flight crew conduct a pre flight briefing together.
    I’d say the crew did mention Edinburgh but the passengers just weren’t listening or doubted they heard correctly


  • #29
    Hurrache
    Registered Users Posts: 10,146 ✭✭✭✭Hurrache


    Locker10a wrote: »
    It’s left up to ground/gate staff!! I’m really surprised by this, it’s not permitted by the IAA and I’m surprised given the high security threat level in the U.K. the U.K. caa allows it

    What do the electronic gates check then when you scan your boarding pass at the boarding gate prior to boarding?


  • #30
    Locker10a
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,138 Mod ✭✭✭✭Locker10a


    Hurrache wrote: »
    What do the electronic gates check then when you scan your boarding pass at the boarding gate prior to boarding?

    I’ve never worked as gate staff but I can only assume it corresponds to the planned/booked flight manifest for that particular flight !!?


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  • #31
    Tenger
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 9,718 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    Hurrache wrote: »
    What do the electronic gates check then when you scan your boarding pass at the boarding gate prior to boarding?
    Same as what the actual staff do when checking manually. That the boarding card name matches the passport name and that the person presenting the boarding card matches the passport photo.

    Last couple of times flying out of Heathrow they have gone all hi tech. Photo is taken as you pass through security and at the boarding gate the photo is checked against the person presenting at the gate. Not sure if LCY has similar system.



    To me it sounds like the crew were told which aircraft and flight number they were operating and then were handed a flight plan which was incorrect.


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