Hong Kong-bound passengers stranded in -30C temperatures in Canada

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  • Michael Allen
    Moderator

    https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2182941/passengers-en-route-hong-kong-shiver-through-13-hour

    “With little communication about what was going on, and with food and water running short some 10 hours into the ordeal, officials finally arrived to deliver supplies from the Tim Hortons fast-food chain known in Canada for its coffee and doughnuts.”


    Swissdiver
    Participant

    Because no immigration officer was on duty! In the 21st century, this is absurd! That said, it looks like the AF in Siberia story a few weeks or months ago.


    GivingupBA
    Participant

    [quote quote=914959]Because no immigration officer was on duty! In the 21st century, this is absurd! That said, it looks like the AF in Siberia story a few weeks or months ago.[/quote]

    Could they not bring an immigration officer or two to the airport after the plane landed? I really don’t see why not….. however, it’s a small airport, and may not have the staff or facilities available even in the daytime.


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    In fairness, Goose Bay is not an International hub, in fact I couldn’t find any international flights in or out of there so it’s not really surprising there were no immigration officials on duty. I would have thought some sustenance could have been bought sooner and I’m surprised there was no APU that could have been used to at least keep the pax warm.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    Goosebay is a widely used staging post for executive jet and military traffic crossing the Atlantic, when range is an issue. I have used the airport several times over the years & late at night. Customs / immigration was never a problem.

    My favourite memory of the airport is when the fuelers bought coffee and hot chocolate for the crew and passengers…

    I have also been stuck at the airport many years ago, due to snow, when trying to ferry a PA32 across the Atlantic. The only restaurant in those days was a pizza bar… after 3 consecutive nights of boredom I managed to get to New York (cant remember how) and took a VC10 to Manchester… ca 1980….


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    IMG415

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    cwoodward
    Participant

    As LuganoPirate mentions Goose Bay has no scheduled international commercial traffic.

    There are about 12 domestic flights most weekdays.

    Unfortunately the SCMP article is a typical loose and inaccurate tabloid piece by their aviation reporter.

    A much more informed and accurate report from cbc.
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/united-179-goose-bay-1.4985858https:

    A nice piece from Simon Calder in the Independent also.

    It seems that all concerned did all possible given the difficult circumstances and I wonder why the media in general is so quick to report negatively on these emergency situations which are normally well managed by responsible airlines.


    canucklad
    Participant

    That’s one hell of a snowball Martyn : )

    Out of curiosity I googled hotels in Goose Bay ……
    Only 2 results came back ….Makes Churchill look like a thriving metropolis !!

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