Pull out the ALT Manual

[WNjetdoc]

The tower closing at midnight didn't surprise SWA. What surprised them is that normally the PVD tower will stay open for 2 more hours if contacted. SWA dispatch did contact PVD tower and asked it to stay open late. Foe some reason they didn't. Again the surprise was not the tower closing, but it not staying open as they NORMALLY do when asked.

Tanker, excellent point. I have talked to several pilots and they said the exact same thing. Tanker=correct, maggy=wrong again. :bleh:

 

[magsau]

Tanker, excellent point. I have talked to several pilots and they said the exact same thing. Tanker=correct, maggy=wrong again. :bleh:

I have flown to PVD in years past. The tower would close at midnight and not open until I think 6am. Why would you expect the tower operators to stay for you?

So the SWA dispatcher dropped the ball? Yet, in the news article the SWA spokesman said SWA did contact the tower. Therefore the SWA spokesman was lying? I wonder what else they lied about? Also, the pilots blamed the airport when it was SWA that did not make it to PVD before the tower shutdown. Do you request to have them stay every night? I hardly bet they are willing to do it just as a favor.

This is all very typical of the SWA operation.

 

[swflyer]

This is all very typical of the SWA operation.

Since it's been established that you are not, nor have you ever been an employee of Southwest airlines, this comment is disingenuous, at best.

With over 3,000 flights a day, invidivual anomalies, no matter how much press they generate, cannot, by definition, be "typical of the SWA operation".

This comment is designed only to inflame and, IMHO, contributes substantive to the debate.
Thank you for your consistent contributions to this forum. <_<

 

[OPNLguy]

One more time...

>>>I have flown to PVD in years past. The tower would close at midnight and not open until I think 6am. Why would you expect the tower operators to stay for you?

Because while a CAT-I could be shot with the tower closed, a CAT-II or CAT-III could not be, and the weather dictated a CAT-III...

>>>So the SWA dispatcher dropped the ball?

No, they did not. PVD was called.

>>>Yet, in the news article the SWA spokesman said SWA did contact the tower.

The spokeswoman was correct, PVD was called. Your use of "yet" here is out of place and incorrect.

>>>Therefore the SWA spokesman was lying?

Nope.

>>>I wonder what else they lied about?

I'm sure you'll think of something--might not be true, but I'm sure something will pop into your mind...

>>>Also, the pilots blamed the airport when it was SWA that did not make it to PVD before the tower shutdown.

It wasn't the airport (as in airport operator) it was the tower folks.

>>>Do you request to have them stay every night?

No, only the nights we're running late with the weather calling for an approach that requires an operating control tower. Do you guys ever call the Port Authority and try have them keep LGA open if you're running late?

>>>I hardly bet they are willing to do it just as a favor.

One word: "Overtime"

>>>This is all very typical of the SWA operation.

And your persistent auto-default anti-Southwest mode is also typical; of exactly what, we're not quite sure about.

Now, these questions/rants of yours have been answered and explained more than once. Assuming you're really an airline pilot, you should know these things. What's it going to take to convince you?

 

[Farley]

Sounds like he either waited too long to divert or else didn't have the correct fuel load to begin with.
Did they have screening at Purdue or was homeland security violated???
Another serious incident made into a joke by WN. :down:

This Bud's for you "Mr. Discount Airline Pilot Guy".

Gee, I'm glad you didn't resort to speculation or hyperbole, like the media so often do. Your fair and balanced (yes, I'm being sarcastic) assessment of this incident is illuminating.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

The questions that needs to be asked and will most likely be asked by the FAA. Is Purdue an approved alternate airport in the company's opspecs? If not then this was yet again a infringment on the safety at the airline. If it was not approved the Captain would have to use his emergency authority to land at a non opsspec airport. Fine and dandy but you better have solid reasons for waiting so long and the need to use your emergency authority.

I am sure this was probably the airports fault though.....

How do you know that Perdue was not a planned alternate (primary or seconday). Carriers that don't serve, say, BUR or ONT routinely show them as alternates to LAX in the flight plan.

As for the poster who raised the TSA issue, unless the passengers were deplaned (into a non sterile area), there is no security issue.