V-Flyer

Greetings from 21K on VS 20 at...Stansted!

We circled about 30 minutes during poor weather at LHR when the pilot announced that Heathrow had closed and we had little enough fuel that he was diverting to Stansted. We've refueled and are ready to go apart from "paperwork" at Virgin's operations center and authorization from Heathrow. We landed at STN just before 1 PM and we've been told we may be airborne by 3:10 PM.

Apparently VS 20 was the only flight to divert (at least based on a cursory glance at Heathrow's web site).

The cabin crew have been keeping everyone fed and watered and all are in good spirits, crew and passengers.

Hopefully we'll be at Heathrow soon.

Oh dear! Hope you get to Heathrow soon without too much more fuss. Good to know that you are being looked after though, and everyone is in good spirits

I hope all goes well and you don't get the thunder storm that has just passed over us, 25 SW of Heathrow!

Dick D

Passenger ill and paramedics on board at STN. They've taken good care of passenger and determined well enough to continue on to LHR.

Captain has estimated landing at LHR at 4:20 PM, gate at 4:30 PM. Preparing to push back from gate at STN now.

My first reply seems to have disappeared into the ether . Perhaps it's the weather?
Sorry for your delays. Particularly awful after a long flight. Glad VS have come up trumps. Hope you can soon take off again & passenger is ok.

Has this delay caused any problems for you ?

Had to go to Stansted today to pick up a car and did wonder why there was a VS 744 parked up at the Satellite Terminal, Thought it might be weather related as it was awful this morning

Sorry to hear a passenger was ill and hope you've got to Heathrow okay.

On a lighter note, I'm hoping my flight home from SFO next year gets diverted to Stansted coz the airport is just 25minutes from my house
Oh how I wish one of the major airlines would start using this smashing airport again soon for long haul travelling.

Hev60 wrote: coz the airport is just 25minutes from my house
Oh how I wish one of the major airlines would start using this smashing airport again soon for long haul travelling.

You and me both but I doubt many V-Flyers would agree with the appellation "smashing"...

pjh wrote:

Hev60 wrote: coz the airport is just 25minutes from my house
Oh how I wish one of the major airlines would start using this smashing airport again soon for long haul travelling.

You and me both but I doubt many V-Flyers would agree with the appellation "smashing"...

yeap you are probably right on that one. Smashing is actually not the most appropriate description. Stansted airport certainly doesn't have the appeal of the other two 'London' airports in terms of the amenities but I am one of those very strange folk who see an airport as a place purely for catching that plane from A to B.
I find no enjoyment hanging around (even in the Clubhouse ) waiting to board the plane. I hate the hustle & bustle with so many people. I would be so happy just to give my cases over and then walk straight onto the aircraft and get to my destination asap

Hev60 wrote:On a lighter note, I'm hoping my flight home from SFO next year gets diverted to Stansted coz the airport is just 25minutes from my house

Appreciate your comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I'm curious anyway -- in such a situation are the airline happy for passengers who choose to do so to leave the plane at the diversion airport? I assume that would cause a big headache with baggage/immigration/etc.

sf wrote:
Appreciate your comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I'm curious anyway -- in such a situation are the airline happy for passengers who choose to do so to leave the plane at the diversion airport? I assume that would cause a big headache with baggage/immigration/etc.

Though multiple drops are ok where planned (cf the Caribbean) I doubt they would be at all happy for an ad hoc arrangement, as presumably they would have to arrange (and pay) for the handling facilities (baggage, airbridges / coaches etc) at an airport that is probably already running at close to maximum capacity.

Arent there flights planned next summer from stn to cancuun, vegas and orlando with thomas cook (I believe).... I really miss the regular Maxjet trips from Stn to Las ( and of course its much nearer to home)

TCX vs VS....I will stick with the hassle of LHR thanks

From what I have heard, the reason for the divert is due to a refueling problem at SFO (didn't take on as much fuel as planned). Would of made it if there were no delays.