SQ 317 Diverted to Baku

[726]

lucky. I flew from LHR on 1 January SQ305. I initially chose this flight (SQ317) on the sixth.
On the other hand I would love to land in Baku
Just wondering though, when they accomodate customers, do they make the customer share (save family and friends)?

IMO, SQ should not have took-off from LHR.

I have one experience with unexpected landing (or rather planned). I was on SQ319 when a fuel depot blew up some years ago and there is shortage of fuel in LHR.
I landed in FRA for a few hours

[feb01mel]

Update from SQ on Facebook :

Here is an update on flight SQ317, which diverted to Baku, Azerbaijan earlier today due to a technical problem. A replacement aircraft has now departed Singapore bound for Baku and is due to arrive at around 2300hrs, 6 January, Baku local time. It is expected to arrive in Singapore in the early afternoon of 7 January, Singapore local time.

As we do not operate regular flights to Baku, Singapore Airlines staff have been sent from both Istanbul and Moscow to provide assistance on the ground.

We sincerely apologise to affected customers for the inconvenience caused by the diversion and the lengthy delay encountered at the airport in Baku.

[SQ_SIA]

"SQ317 - crew gone off to a hotel leaving 467 passengers stranded in the transit lounge."
That is one of the worst things ever to happen and something which defines an airline. I still cant forget the image of MH Crew Trampling over old Japanese passengers at TBIT to collect luggage on the delayed flight due to the 1st November incident at LAX. Shitty crew make shitty airlines.

You must be a troll.......

[SQflyergirl]

I've been in a rapid descent with oxygen masks and all situation before - it's terrifying. Feel for the pax there, now being stuck in an airport that doesn't look like it's equipped to handle the situation.

[SQflyergirl]

SQ8850, operated by SKD on the way to baku to rescue stranded guests. She's just passed abeam of Bandar Aceh, so quite a way to go yet.

[SQ228]

I'm quite glad I wasn't on board. Apart from the obvious trauma of cabin pressure issues above Afghanistan of all places, as an Australian, I would have gotten no further than the customs control gate at the airport. I'm not sure if Singaporeans or British would fare better, but we need visas for Azerbaijan and I'd be surprised if local authorities would be rushing around handing them out, given they have a reputation for going to tourist spots and performing spot checks for passports and visas, according to our national travel advisory.

There's a Sheraton at the airport, but I don't imagine it would have had 300+ rooms sitting empty and waiting. I'd say you could be pretty sure there aren't any empty rooms in it right now!

Most likely the Y passengers (note- the plane involved has an upper-deck Y cabin) are camped out at the airport, which may well be safer than hastily arranged lodgings in Baku, but unpleasant nonetheless. This highlights the major weakness of the A380- when things don't go to plan, you've got a major problem on your hands with that volume of people involved.

[SQ228]

Beginning to make news across the web now:

http://news.asiaone.com/news/relax/s...ing-azerbaijan

[ashkale]

love the love for sq even when they f00k up

[MAN Flyer]

Made the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25618122

[MAN Flyer]

SQ8850, operated by SKD on the way to baku to rescue stranded guests. She's just passed abeam of Bandar Aceh, so quite a way to go yet.

Handy to have a spare fat plane lying around I suppose.

[SQflyergirl]

"SQ317 - crew gone off to a hotel leaving 467 passengers stranded in the transit lounge."

? What are you on about ? To me looks like they're trying pretty hard.





and a small selection of other pics...

[ashkale]

This is from the passenger on the flight not me, so the crew did disappear for a while. Its more than 12 hours now so i hope they are back on duty all dolled up..

[SQ228]

Handy to have a spare fat plane lying around I suppose.

I suspect we may see one or two equipment swaps as a result of all this. They now have a plane down in Baku, presumably going nowhere fast and another one caught up in the rescue mission that also spent 11 hours out of the air sitting at Changi Gate B5 today (probably a lot of organisation to do to head off to something like this I guess).

SKB has been out of service since NYE, SKM has been out of service since 20 Dec '13, presumably heavy maintenance maybe?

I can't find any sign of equipment swaps on databses yet, but if they can still operate all regularly scheduled A380 flights with A380s, then you have to wonder how effectively such a large investment is being put to use.

[feb01mel]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...or/945074.html

[CarbonMan]

I've been in a rapid descent with oxygen masks and all situation before - it's terrifying. Feel for the pax there, now being stuck in an airport that doesn't look like it's equipped to handle the situation.

Indeed. Anecdotal info coming from a friend whose sis is on the flight said that it was incredibly scary, dark as the plane lost height rapidly. Am sure we'll hear more stories by tomorrow when the pax arrive back to SIN and the media circus that has already started, finds the most scariest story to tell. SQ's PR will be having a field day.