V-Flyer

Report from the Guardian. Looks scary but dealt with very professionally. All passengers evacuated and fire out within 5 minutes

Good job to the crew getting everybody off safely however I am shocked at the pictures of passengers with hand luggage that have been shown. Seriously, the plane is on fire and you stop to remove stuff from the overhead locker?

MoJoJo wrote:Good job to the crew getting everybody off safely however I am shocked at the pictures of passengers with hand luggage that have been shown. Seriously, the plane is on fire and you stop to remove stuff from the overhead locker?

Worth reading the Guardian reporter's take on it, though I have issue with the headline "it was time to panic". Panic may happen, but I don't think people sit there and actively think "Now I shall panic".

Listening to a reporter who was on board giving his account on the news this morning it didn't seem to be handled that well.
One thing I don't understand is how the plane is brought to rest with wind blowing the fire/smoke towards the plane.
When the rear door opposite the fire was opened smoke poured into the cabin after passengers had been directed to return to their seats.
I would have thought it would be stopped with the wind blowing the fire back away from the wing and the body of the plane at 45 degrees.
BUT maybe it was and the wind changed.
Thankfully no serious injuries to anyone, and well done to the crew for that.
Dick D

Seems the situation was handled very well by all of those involved.

MoJoJo wrote:Good job to the crew getting everybody off safely however I am shocked at the pictures of passengers with hand luggage that have been shown. Seriously, the plane is on fire and you stop to remove stuff from the overhead locker?

I think it is easy to criticise pax for taking hand luggage, but I guess in an emergency situation everyone reacts differently and until you have been in that experience there is no way to know how you would react.
I'm not saying they are correct, but I remember reading something a year or two back and in every single emergency evacuation simulation some pax still went to collect their hand luggage.
The only way to absolutely stop it happening is to stop people taking hand luggage on the aircraft, but that is never going to happen.

It looks to be an unconstrained engine failure, with fragments perching the fuel tanks and could have been a significant event but for the actions of the crew. Yes it is a shame that passengers thoughts sometimes automatically push them to get their personal belongings, and with a relatively light load that may not have created a major problem here.

It will be interested to read the investigative report when it's out for what actually happened and how the evacuation proceeded.

First thing we saw when switching on the tv at 6 this morning and thinking I will be on this flight in 6 weeks time.

Glad that everyone got off safely and the BA crew were on the ball when you think what might have been. Do not know if BA have any spare aircraft to get those passengers home. Hubby says that they will have to send out an investigation team and a heavy duty aircraft with spares if needed, he worked on Rolls Royce engines for over 30 years.LInda

mallin wrote:First thing we saw when switching on the tv at 6 this morning and thinking I will be on this flight in 6 weeks time.

Glad that everyone got off safely and the BA crew were on the ball when you think what might have been. Do not know if BA have any spare aircraft to get those passengers home. Hubby says that they will have to send out an investigation team and a heavy duty aircraft with spares if needed, he worked on Rolls Royce engines for over 30 years.LInda

Pax will be put on other flights asap even using other airlines though BA does have an LAS-LHR service.

The BA LGW fleet is run as tightly as the VS one.

The feeling on flyer talk is that the aircraft is a write-off and will be uneconomic to repair. It will have to be broken down at LAS (once the investigation by BA/FAA/CAA and Boeing has taken place) as it would be unsafe to fly to even the closest aircraft grave yard.

flyer talk thread (note there is a lot of rubbish posted (including a diversion into the Queen becoming longest reigning monarch and how the flash £63 discount being done to divert attenion) but there are a lot of informed comments)

Hubby agrees on looking at the pictures on Sky news site that it will probably have to be scrapped. He says that if the the spur holding the two engines underneath the fuselage is damaged and judging by the big hole it is, it would be too costly to repair.

You can listen to the LAS Tower at https://clyp.it/jrvdzhrw

Darren Wheeler wrote:You can listen to the LAS Tower at https://clyp.it/jrvdzhrw

Kudos to all concerned. In terms of apparent stress it sounds about on a par with me ringing the helpline to say "network's a bit slow today" when all - BA crew, LAS tower, other flights - must have been scared witless.

Like PJH said, all involved totally on-top of their game.

The investigation will pick every last detail apart and a report will be forthcoming in months/years - and will forensically and dispassionately analyse all aspects.

In the meantime, everyone lives to fly another day, and on the face of it, the entire crew on that plane and in the tower and on emergency response duty carried out their job immaculately.

Stuff happens, and the training kicks in - well done all.

To all passengers reading this - learn the lesson - do not stop to collect hand luggage, do not take off shoes before airborne - do not be caught unawares if something like this happens.

Undoubtedly the last thing on the passengers mind but what happens in this scenario with immigration and customs?

mikethe3rd wrote:Undoubtedly the last thing on the passengers mind but what happens in this scenario with immigration and customs?

I always keep my passport in my pocket until after take off.

BA have recently decided that they will repair the damaged aircraft, will be back in service early next year.

Just read on sky news this plane is to be repaired and put back into service .
It has been inspected by Boeing engineers and deemed suitable for repair

It's already flown, last week for paint.