Storm Diverts Plane

[backstairs]

My visitor flew on BKK Air last night at 19:10. On the way to BKK plane gets diverted to U-Tapao.

Captain said there was a big storm over BKK. AN Hour on the ground then back in the air.

Midnight connection missed. I have never heard of this happening before. I Wondered why it didn't wait in Phuket

before leaving. Is this not uncommon?

[grumpyoldman]

Your timing doesn't seem to make sense.

I'm assuming as you are posting in the Phuket Forum that flight was HKT-BKK, an hour and ten minutes. That's on the ground in U-tapao at 8:20, 9:20 take off, should be on the ground BKK at 10:00.

No not normal, but when the alternative is the Surat Thani wipeout, I'll take the missed connection.

[backstairs]

Sorry my timing was a bit weak. Left HKT on or about 19:10. Arrived U-Tapao on or around 21:00. Took off again around 22:00.

Missed connecting flight which left at 22:3o. Tried to use Flight-stats but not so useful. I am not suggesting that the pilot should have flown into

a thunderstorm over Suvarnabum. Sounds like he was very cautious, bless him. I did wonder why s/he [bKK Air has female captains, no?]did not wait at HKT.

Since the first message I have had some discussion with others about fuel. If you have to circle an airport for some time this may affect you choice of options

when looking closely at the amount of fuel that was loaded.

I was on a Swiss flight into a small airport in UK and the ceiling was down to 1000M and the pilot shared his sense of risk. We made it first attempt. The next year the same airline had been loaded with too much fuel and we had to fly up and down the Bristol channel to burn it off. You cannot land heavy. I am not blaming any one here. I love airline discussions.