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Air Traffic Monitoring => Aviation Audio Clips => Topic started by: RonR on May 15, 2019, 10:26:22 AM

Title: Eurowings 1170 Returns to Dusseldorf
Post by: RonR on May 15, 2019, 10:26:22 AM

Eurowings flight 1170 enroute from Dusseldorf to Cancun was approximately 200 miles west of Ireland when the flight turned around and returned to Dusseldorf for "technical reasons".  Apparently, the "technical reasons" were enough for the company to have the flight return to its point of departure but not severe enough to warrant a landing at the closest airport.  The attached audio file includes communication while the flight was with Shannon Control; there is no audio available after they entered London Control.

Ron
Title: Re: Eurowings 1170 Returns to Dusseldorf
Post by: slinzer on May 16, 2019, 10:07:41 AM
Any idea what happened?  Why return all the way back?
Title: Re: Eurowings 1170 Returns to Dusseldorf
Post by: RonR on May 16, 2019, 11:00:37 AM
Sorry, don't know what the technical issue was.  The only thing that comes to mind is that it was a technical problem that could not be handled in Cancun forcing the decision to return to Dusseldorf.  I'm sure the passengers were thrilled with that plan...

Ron
Title: Re: Eurowings 1170 Returns to Dusseldorf
Post by: wiedehopf on May 16, 2019, 03:36:15 PM
Anything that would prevent them from taking off at the destination will often lead to a return to base.
Cheaper for the airline.

Could well be something that doesn't warrant an immediate landing.

Not long ago a Lufthansa A380 on its way to Delhi turned around basically half way.


Also once the aircraft is repaired you'll likely have to fly the plane back empty, so lots of extra fuel for that trip.
Title: Re: Eurowings 1170 Returns to Dusseldorf
Post by: VASAviation on May 17, 2019, 11:31:05 AM
Imagine how important the issue must be when returning half-way there on a 9 hour flight, compensate those passengers and put them on a new airplane, compensate the passengers at the original destination that were supossed to get on the aircraft that will never get there and help them get on any family/codeshare flight is cheaper than having the aircraft continue the trip and have it stuck at destination...

A friend of mine works as a Flight Dispatcher for a major airline and he says they have to take very difficult decisions sometimes. Bad weather leading to diversions is their biggest fear :-( :-(