Aircraft allowing disembarkation after leaving the terminal?

seamus

OK, just a quick query.

Just got home from a flight that was delayed by about 90 minutes. First off, the incoming flight was delayed. OK, **** happens. Delayed by 30 mins.

Then there was a "technical query" with a wheel. OK, again, **** happens and we'd all prefer that the aircraft was in working order than on time. Delayed by 15 mins.

Just after the above announcement finished, a woman walked up the aisle with her bag and coat, and chatted to the air hostesses. The aircraft pushed back and taxied for about 10 mins. 10 minutes later, we're back at the terminal. The woman has been allowed to disembark because she received some bad news about a relative and the Captain was sure we'd all understand.

Now, my query is about the above. Notwithstanding the fact that human compassion has to come into play, don't airlines and/or airports have some blanket policy about allowing people off an aircraft once is has begun to taxi? I mean, there's every possibility that indeed this woman's relative has died/been in accident/whatever, but the timing makes me suspicious. Couldn't everyone just use the "My Granny has just died" excuse if they were suddenly unsettled by the thought of the flight?

dowlingm

I wonder how she received that news... when mobile phones were supposed to be off? hmm.

RoundyMooney

seamus wrote:

OK, just a quick query.

Just got home from a flight that was delayed by about 90 minutes. First off, the incoming flight was delayed. OK, **** happens. Delayed by 30 mins.

Chances are, the incoming was the same a/c.

seamus wrote:

Then there was a "technical query" with a wheel. OK, again, **** happens and we'd all prefer that the aircraft was in working order than on time. Delayed by 15 mins..

In my experience, being informed by the Captain or First Officer of a discrepancy is a courtesy rather than a given (whereas it should be customary). Anywho, OK so far.

seamus wrote:

Just after the above announcement finished, a woman walked up the aisle with her bag and coat, and chatted to the air hostesses. The aircraft pushed back and taxied for about 10 mins. 10 minutes later, we're back at the terminal. The woman has been allowed to disembark because she received some bad news about a relative and the Captain was sure we'd all understand.

Now, my query is about the above. Notwithstanding the fact that human compassion has to come into play, don't airlines and/or airports have some blanket policy about allowing people off an aircraft once is has begun to taxi? I mean, there's every possibility that indeed this woman's relative has died/been in accident/whatever, but the timing makes me suspicious. Couldn't everyone just use the "My Granny has just died" excuse if they were suddenly unsettled by the thought of the flight?

That's *very* unusual. Thankfully, (although if you've ever watched "Airport" or the like, you'll know there's always some gimp with a lost passport, or a fake one if they're West African , who manages to hold a flight to ransom for a prolonged period), airlines these days tend to operate a zero tolerance policy to what we might call one off delays-while on stand awaiting departure.
If the guys were taxiing for ten minutes, they were awaiting a slot, and to belay that and return to stand is *very* unusual. In fact, tbh I've never heard of it, outside of a security risk <the pisshead factor>, or technical difficulties. Your story is a first for me, and one wonders how the lady received the "bad news", mobiles off and all that, *ahem*.

To answer, once the doors are secure, the Captain's word is law. The craft is his/her responsibility, as are the passengers. In a situation like that, presumably he would have to weigh up any additional cost to the airline in fuel (more than you'd imagine), and procuring another takeoff slot against the negative PR of some individual ringing up Joe Duffy. Compassion also no doubt was a factor, probably the deciding one. At the end of the day, he or she made the call. Airline or airport policy had naught to do with it, although he may have had to explain his actions to the accountants who run *every* airline these days.

seamus

RoundyMooney wrote:

Chances are, the incoming was the same a/c.

Indeed it was.

To answer, once the doors are secure, the Captain's word is law. The craft is his/her responsibility, as are the passengers.

That's what I thought tbh. It only occured to me later on that night though that although she went to the front with a bag and a coat, and they removed her checked-in baggage from the hold, nobody checked her seat to see if anything had been left behind.....

BrianD

That's odd. Would all the checked in luggage not have to be removed to find her bag? I'd take a guess and say it was a member of staff travelling.

murphaph

Same thing happened to me once, sort of anyway. A group of us had been in Japan for work and were transferring at Heathrow. There was a group of people who'd been on a charity walk in Morocco and a few of them had picked up food poisonin and were very ill looking. I saw two vomiting into sick bags before the plane even moved!

Anyway, plane taxis to the bloody end of the runway, turns back to the stand, airport doctor comes on board. Tells them they have to get off and all their luggage too. We were delayed by something like 2 hours as getting a slot took ages. We were not impressed after being in the air for ages already!

As for checking her seat, seems a bit odd alright as just walking through the metal detector, she could have carried explosives on board. I don't know anything about explosives but I presume a mobile phone cold be used a timer with a detonator concealed inside. Interesting security risk alright.

seamus

BrianD wrote:

That's odd. Would all the checked in luggage not have to be removed to find her bag? I'd take a guess and say it was a member of staff travelling.

In fairness, the captain assured us that we'd only be ten minutes waiting, and we were. I didn't hear the cargo hold open. Perhaps the ten minutes were to verify that she had no checked-in luggage and to remove her from the passenger list.

secret_squirrel

Thats very unusual. I suspect that they were going to be delayed anyhow and so killed 2 birds with one stone so to speak.

Of course its also possible she was staff or related to one of the crew. Or that she was some kind of VIP.