https://thepointsguy.com/2017/09/tpg-reader-inside-air-france-66/
Earlier Saturday Air France 66, an Airbus A380 enroute from Paris (CDG) to Los Angeles (LAX) was forced to divert to Goose Bay, Canada (YYR) after a major engine failure. Fortunately the flight landed safely with all passengers and crew uninjured.
However, the ordeal for the flight’s occupants hasn’t ended yet. The Points Guy reader Kent, who is currently on board the flight, has reached out to us to let us know that the passengers are still trapped on the grounded plane, which landed at 1:40pm local time (12:40pm ET.) They are now expected to be ferried out on different airplanes at 4am Sunday local time, after more than 14 hours spent on the ground in the plane.
First, here’s how Kent described the actual engine failure as he experienced it from his seat in the middle of the aircraft (his text has been lightly edited for clarity):
Around Greenland and over the Atlantic Ocean, I felt a loud thud and loss of altitude. It was followed by a significant vibration that shook the aircraft. As a pilot, I recognized it as a engine failure and as the remaining A380 engines slowed, the vibration also reduced.
Within seconds, the flight crew began emergency landing protocols and people began to worry. Several of the passengers began to cry and ask each other what was happening.
Other passengers began pointing out the disintegrated engine and taking photos. According to headrest map, the aircraft descended to 28,500 [feet].
About 10 minutes after the incident, the pilot announced the aircraft was stable and he was attempting a forced landing at Goose Bay.
About 60 minutes later or 1230pm, the pilot made a short field landing with an abrupt stop.
Although Goose Bay is sometimes used as an emergency fueling stop for civilian aircraft, it is mostly a Canadian Forces Base used by the Canadian air force. As a result, despite the fact that everyone was safely on the ground, there was no way to then deplane either onto the tarmac or into the airport:
We have been stuck in the plane since. According to the crew, this airport does not maintain equipment to deplane an A380. They served a meal about 2 hours ago and put out all of the drink carts that have since been pillaged by passengers.
The pilot has made rounds around the aircraft and told us a 777 is enroute from France to take us the rest of the way.
Passengers have recently become frustrated and began challenging the flight crew. In response, they have opened a door and let people smoke cigarettes in the opening. Bathrooms are becoming filthy and in need of service.
We have no timeline or know what to expect next.
A short while after this story was published at 6:20pm Eastern time, Kent sent us additional info from the aircraft:
They just gave us an update. The first “rescue” plane from France is out 5 hours from now. The second plane is 2 hours after the first. They are not letting anyone off the plane till then…
An Air France spokesperson emailed us to let us know that the airline is sending one of its 777s, as the captain had told the passengers, plus a chartered 737. The first plane will leave Goose Bay (YYR) at 4:15am local time on Sunday.
We will continue to update our readers as we get more information, and we thank Kent for sharing his experiences from aboard the flight.
Featured image by Tomáš Richtr via Twitter.
This story has been updated to reflect new information from the aircraft in Goose Bay.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skifurthur AMSaddler
on Sunday, October 1, 2017 – 11:44 am
I'm not sure that imprison is
I'm not sure that imprison is the right word to use. It seems that there was no way to get the people off the plane. I also suspect that since it is a Canadian armed forces base, base security had a hand in this. Unfortunate but one can hardly accuse Air France of holding people against their will.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High Surfdead
on Sunday, October 1, 2017 – 11:54 am
Emergency slide?
Emergency slide?
I would have activated it after a few hours.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees FaceOnMars
on Sunday, October 1, 2017 – 11:56 am
See how the "quotes" are
See how the "quotes" are handy this way? :-)
I suspect there's a lot to the story we are unaware at this juncture; however, I find it difficult to believe there wasn't any equipment available that would have allowed passengers to safely deplane. What if there had been a medical emergency, would they have treated a passenger on board if it required the use of medical devices that could only be accessed on the ground?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees FaceOnMars
on Sunday, October 1, 2017 – 11:58 am
Emergency slide?
Emergency slide?
I would have activated it after a few hours.<<<
I would have activated immediately after they announced that people would be allowed to smoke.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank Briank
on Sunday, October 1, 2017 – 12:02 pm
If they don't have the
If they don't have the equipment to get them off the plane to stretch their legs, how are they going to get them off to get on the new planes? A rope swing?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough Disco Stu
on Sunday, October 1, 2017 – 12:18 pm
Summer 1981 I flew Aeroflot
Summer 1981 I flew Aeroflot from Montreal to Moscow. We stopped in Greenland for fuel (maybe Gander?)
Anyway they let us out to stretch on the tarmac, have a smoke. Don't recall any facilities / terminal building.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Racketinmyhead Racketinmyhead
on Sunday, October 1, 2017 – 07:39 pm
I'd be happy I wasn't dead
I'd be happy I wasn't dead after an engine explosion.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: The Eggman Sandiegohead
on Sunday, October 1, 2017 – 11:42 pm
I'd be happy I wasn't dead
I'd be happy I wasn't dead after an engine explosion.))))))))))))))))))))))))
I couldn't agree more!!!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ________ Heybrochacho
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 08:07 am
WOW
WOW
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 09:45 am
>> I'd be happy I wasn't dead
>> I'd be happy I wasn't dead after an engine explosion.
That was my first thought, too.
Using 19.5's logic(?), every flight is a "prison" from gate to gate.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees FaceOnMars
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 11:28 am
It kind of is, it really kind
It kind of is, it really kind of is ...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 11:31 am
Yes, 19.5, we sacrifice
Yes, 19.5, we sacrifice freedom for convenience/speed of travel.
However, no one is forced to fly.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees FaceOnMars
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 11:34 am
Do you enjoy relinquishing
Do you enjoy relinquishing your "freedom" to a private corporation who's primary motivation is to answer to their financial bottom line?
I rarely ever fly, if at all possible.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 11:39 am
>> Do you enjoy relinquishing
>> Do you enjoy relinquishing your "freedom" to a private corporation who's primary motivation is to answer to their financial bottom line?
Safely operating their airplane, crew and passengers supersedes their profit motivations, so I'm good.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees FaceOnMars
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 12:11 pm
Safely operating their
Safely operating their airplane, crew and passengers supersedes their profit motivations, so I'm good<<<<
Do you also believe keys that have "do not duplicate" printed on them can't be copied?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 12:20 pm
I think it's best for you not
I think it's best for you not to fly, and maybe stop giving homeless people advice on flying, too.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: uncmozo Jerry H
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 01:52 pm
Flew jetBlue about 6 weeks
Flew jetBlue about 6 weeks ago, haven't flown in about 5 or 6 years. They had SiriusXM with The Grateful Dead channel. As the plane took off, SiriusXM started playing the complete 12/1/79 show from Pittsburgh PA, heard the entire show until we left the mainland and lost satellite service. Just as OMSN started as the encore, the song faded as the static of no signal grew. Saved by the static!
My prison is way better than yours.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees FaceOnMars
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 02:18 pm
"homeless person"? ... would
"homeless person"? ... would've thought better from you
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 2 Room Shack Turtle
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 02:27 pm
19.5 are you 70 yrs old?
19.5 are you 70 yrs old?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 02:33 pm
Homeless is status; Bum is
Homeless is a status; Bum is judgemental.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved nedb
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 02:35 pm
I'm flying Southwest
I'm flying Southwest Wednesday evening and hopefully will be able to watch the Rockies play-in game.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees FaceOnMars
on Monday, October 2, 2017 – 04:49 pm
Homeless is a status; Bum is
Homeless is a status; Bum is judgemental.<<<
Neither employ a "people first" characterization and are simply different shades of the same manner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People-first_language
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 19.5 Degrees FaceOnMars
on Thursday, October 5, 2017 – 06:26 pm
Since we're on the topic of
Since we're on the topic of housing and apparently you're well versed in subsidized housing ned, here's a question for you:
Is government subsidized affordable housing in ski towns means to assist citizens to establish a home for oneself and family, or is it a vehicle for business interests to secure shelter for their workforce in effort to either stabilize or increase their bottom line?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call" Knotesau
on Thursday, October 5, 2017 – 07:19 pm
Are either of those bad?
Are either of those bad?