You are having a nice and peaceful flight when suddenly the cabin crew announces that the flight is being redirected back to the nearest airport for an immediate landing. Startled and frightened, you start praying to get home safely. As your heart is racing, soon enough you find yourself in another airport, different from your travel plans. A large team of engineers and professionals from different sectors are working to make flights as safe and rewarding as possible. Yet, anything can happen when an aircraft is in the air. Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) are trained to handle any possible situation that arises at any point from the moment the aircraft’s engine starts to take off and landing. Emergencies can happen at any time due to technical problems in the aircraft, sudden adverse weather changes in the landing destination or medical emergencies among the passengers. During such cases, flights are redirected to the take-off location or the nearest feasible airport.
Every morning before the aircraft takes off, a designated team checks the aircraft and submit a written document to the pilot stating the airworthiness. Before the passengers are boarded, a second round of testing is done by the cabin crew ensuring the seats, emergency doors, windows, compartments, water, oxygen and other emergency supplies are in good condition. Over at the cockpit, the co-pilot does a run-through of the checklist ensuring the avionics are correct. The caption inspects the exterior of the aircraft - from the engines, blades, landing gear and the fuel tank. If any technical problem is identified, the aircraft is sent for repair and is only deemed safe to fly after another round of testing. Once the aircraft is confirmed airworthy, it is prepared for take-off. Additionally, weather conditions are also studied pre-flight to ensure safety and avoid any difficulties that the aircraft may come across en route. “Before making any flight plan, the Operation Control Center (OCC) briefs the pilot about the destination weather and the en-route weather,” says Upendra Lal Shrestha, Senior Quality Assurance Engineer at Buddha Air. Despite all these safety measures, unforeseen technical circumstances can arise anytime during the flight. In such situations, the pilot notifies the ATCs who guide them to the ideal route to take and the nearest feasible landing location.
“The pilots have a Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) in the cockpit to determine the appropriate procedures to follow during unforeseen circumstances,” says Manoj KC, an ATR instructor pilot. “There is a backup of almost every device or device on board for component malfunctions, an equipment failure or fault that may occur during the flight”.
Flight redirection is the last option if the backup system fails to resolve technical issues. In such cases, the cabin crew handles the passengers by properly informing and reassuring them while the pilots, with the help of ATCs, are guided to the nearest feasible airport. In some cases like hydraulic failure or problems with the landing gear, pilots aim to come to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu due to the availability of more advanced technologies.
“When the pilot in command (PIC) feels that there are risks in moving forward, s/he decides to redirect the flight,” adds Shrestha. Flight redirections prevent any danger and safeguard passenger safety, reducing the likelihood of in-flight incidents or emergencies. While it can be a daunting experience, especially for first-timers, and delay your travel plans, it is done to keep you safe.
