My advice to a pal, Pete, planning a trip to east Asia, was unequivocal: “Fly on one of the Chinese airlines: cheaper, quicker and less damaging for the environment.”
Twenty-four hours earlier, I had told reader Bill White that China Southern was the optimum carrier for a trip to the most distant big city from the UK, Christchurch in New Zealand. “That’s the one I would take,” I added.
In between, Air China flight 856 from London Heathrow to Beijing had touched down at the northern Siberian city of Nizhnevartovsk. The Boeing 777 is a notable nightly departure from Heathrow: it is the last passenger plane of the day scheduled to take off from the UK’s busiest airport.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, though, it encountered engine trouble en route to Beijing. At the time the plane was over northern Siberia. This is normal for the flight: the most direct route from London to the Chinese capital involves flying initially northeast over the Baltic to St Petersburg, then continuing in a broad arc over Siberia until the Mongolian border. Almost all the time this works just fine – but when you need to divert to the nearest suitable airport, you wind up in places like Nizhnevartovsk.
As a reported 267 people found to their discomfort, Siberia is not a welcoming environment for a diverted plane. The passengers and crew were kept on board for 11 hours while a replacement jet was dispatched to the Siberian city to take everyone on to Beijing.
Meanwhile, the onboard environment deteriorated as supplies were used up, fatigue kicked in, and the facilities became increasingly unsavoury.
In a “normal” diversion, passengers and crew would, as a minimum, be able to disembark and stay in the transit lounge while fresh supplies and those all-important aircraft cleaners are drafted in. Bangor airport (BGR) in the US state of Maine actually has a marketing pitch urging airlines to choose it for those tricky inflight detours, including for incidents of air rage: “BGR is experienced in minimising the diversion required by in-flight disturbances. We handle the situation securely and effectively and get you back on your way.
“Passenger services will make local arrangements for accommodations if necessary.”
The last time a 777 from Europe to China diverted over Siberia was in 2018. Passengers on the Air…
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