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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking this plane shouldn't have taken off today...

23 replies

LovelyBath · 05/12/2013 13:01

So my DH took a plane first thing this morning to Edinburgh (Easyjet) - saying it might be cancelled but he'd see at the airport. All going to plan, then it hits the heart of the storm in Edinburgh, tries to land twice and fails, then gets struck by lightning (big flash at front of plane people shouting out etc) Terrifying. Then it heads for Newcastle, tries to land there and finally does after another failed attempted. Stuck on runway for ages, ambulance called to assist a passenger. Last I heard they are now getting coaches to take them to Edinburgh...

What was it doing even taking off? Confused

OP posts:
wordfactory · 05/12/2013 13:04

No they should not take off.

I was once stuck on a transatlantic flight that should never have attempted it. Bloody terrifying.

Original poster
LovelyBath · 05/12/2013 13:18

I just thought they would have taken more care- they knew the storm was coming, it's been in the news.

OP posts:
livinginawinterwonderland · 05/12/2013 14:03

YANBU at all, but airlines lose money when planes don't take off so they do their best to take off even when they blatantly shouldn't.

Topaz25 · 05/12/2013 14:07

YANBU That must have been so scary, glad he's ok!

sparechange · 05/12/2013 14:18

Lightening hitting a plane really isn't a big deal. It happens many times a day, and planes and their electronic sysmtems are designed to be able to withstand the strikes
I don't work in air traffic control, but I imagine they thought they could miss the storm and either misjudged it, or the weather turned (literally)

While it sounds like it was a bit hairy, it isn't like there is any harm done, although I'm sure a coach from Newcastle to Edinburgh is a bit of a pain.

Golferman · 05/12/2013 15:37

Ach, I fly a lot nothing more boring than a nice smooth flight. Much more fun when it's windy or stormy or they do a go around.

BlousyMumsyTwat · 05/12/2013 15:45

YABU.

pianodoodle · 05/12/2013 15:45

Sounds a bit nerve wracking!

I don't know w. hen I fly it's normally to Belfast City which is plagued by cross winds and always feels a bit bumpy tbh.

From the failed landing attempts it sounds like it could've been better judged though.

mrspuddleduckie · 05/12/2013 15:53

Planes often fly through storms without a problem - even ones smaller than easy jet planes - business jets for example. I don't think it would have taken off if it was known to be dangerous in any way.

InkleWinkle · 05/12/2013 16:05

I was mega surprised this morning when local radio said trains cancelled, Forth Road Bridge closed but Edinburgh airport operating as normal.

mummymeister · 05/12/2013 16:33

If it were too dangerous to fly then the pilot would not have been allowed to take off. neither would he/she have wanted to its their life at stake after all as well if it crashes. planes can withstand a lot but fortunately for your DH this type of flight is a once in a lifetime occurrence (this from someone who is terrified of flying due to previous serious incident so has read a lot about this) don't let it put him off.

BlousyMumsyTwat · 05/12/2013 17:21

Inkle - tbf the trains stopped due to trees falling on the line. It's a rare event that a tree falls at 39,000 feet.

mrspuddleduckie · 05/12/2013 17:33

Blousy Grin

Original poster
LovelyBath · 05/12/2013 20:33

The moment the lightning struck was when it was just near the ground, pulling up from one of the aborted landings I think.

He's home safely now thankfully- he told me when they landed averyone cheered and clapped and chatted ! And the pilot came out to chat to them all

Apparently there was another London flight did similar and had to abort a landing and return...

OP posts:
Original poster
LovelyBath · 05/12/2013 20:35

Oh, also there was a problem getting them off as the lightning had damaged the doors and they had to get engineers in- all very dramatic. I bet they're all having a Wine this evening

OP posts:
nulgirl · 05/12/2013 20:37

I flew into lond

nulgirl · 05/12/2013 20:40

Whoops. Start again

I flew into London City at the height of the St Jude storm last month. It really wasn't a bad flight at all. Slightly bumpy but nothing too scary. Planes can take off and land in pretty bad weather. Depends which direction the wind is coming from in relation to the runway. Transport on the ground is much worse affected than flying.

Longdistance · 05/12/2013 20:47

That's unusual. Usually the lightening hits the radio (nose cone) at the front, and the aircraft distributes the flash.

If it wasn't safe the airline would not have let the aircraft go. At airports they measure the wind speed, weather conditions, and they decide upon then if the airport should close.

It all sounds hairy. Not the best day to be flying.

Original poster
LovelyBath · 05/12/2013 20:56

I think it was pretty bad, much worse than a bit bumpy- people being sick, ambulances called etc. It seems it was the first flight of the day and just ran into the storm.

What a cost for the airline too, repairing the plane, getting all the people home... hopefully it seems to be passing now a bit..

OP posts:
Bahhhhhumbug · 05/12/2013 20:56

Ooh Golferman please can l sit next to you next time l am screaming 'we're all going to die' on a plane. Grin

Bahhhhhumbug · 05/12/2013 20:59

...and that's just at check-in Grin

musicmadness · 05/12/2013 21:10

There's a video on youtube of two planes aborting landings at Birmingham Airport today. It looks terrifying! I'm very glad I wasn't flying today.

specialsubject · 05/12/2013 21:17

the pilot is at the front of the crash and doesn't want it to go badly wrong any more than you do.

That big Emirates jet also had a moment - seems they couldn't land after two attempts and had to go to Gatwick.

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