Comments

1. I’ve wondered about that with US planes overflying Canada (say NYC to Detroit) having to unexpectedly land. Looks like it was handled pretty routinely, which I suppose would be the same case there. Anyway a calmer story than someone told me about going from Cairo to Delhi. It was the mid-70s and the Lebanese civil war was heating up. They were diverted to pick up people in Beirut. The “stop” was on the runway, just long enough for a busload to quickly board. Flying in someone said they were setting off fireworks in the city. They weren’t fireworks.

2. This is why I always fly with my passport since you never know where you could be diverted to.

   If you fly to Asia on any regularity a small investment in a 10 year visa can make your life so much easier

3. I have been twice on an overseas flight that had to divert to a third country because of a passenger’s health. Each time customs officers were at the door and checked passports before allowing the paramedics to take the passenger away and make sure no other passengers were getting out.

4. Very strange that they wouldn’t have just diverted to MCO or TPA where JetBlue already has ground staff. Oh, and also it’s America.

5. Heck, even after seeing that it was likely someone from The Office, I still have no idea who the mystery passenger was. Maybe if he spoke. But even then, I’d have no idea who the character or the actor’s name was. But, I rarely watched The Office.

6. Can’t resist……

   I think there some who would dispute the fact that mco or tpa are in “America”. They might be in Florida but not America

   Now that I have poked that bear, I will show myself out

7. The Air Canada website warns passengers about the risks of domestic travel with cannabis, for this very reason, in case there’s an emergency diversion to the US.

8. @John H: The guy behind the mask is Rainn Wilson, one of the stars of the US version of The Office. I didn’t know it either, but CNN had the same video and identified him. I only know Rainn Wilson as Harry Mudd from the first season of Star Trek: Discovery. Was never interested in The Office and have never seen an episode.

   As for the diversion, I’m very, very happy that I always take my passport with me as my primary means of identification, just in case of situations like this (although with me it’s more likely a diversion to Canada).

9. I’ve been on an international flight that skipped a planned landing because of weather. I don’t recall any immigration formalities, I think they just shuffled us to another plane that was going where we were supposed to go. It seems to be something the airlines are prepared for.

10. There are a number of countries, especially in the Caribbean, that don’t a passport for U.S citizens to enter. The problem, thanks to the ultra-paranoid post-9/11 U.S. government, is getting back into the U.S. without a passport.

11. @John,
    It was Rain Wilson (Dwight Schrute).
    Strange that he was still wearing a mask. Maybe he was sick and didn’t want others to catch his malady or maybe it is a good disguise for people who are famous.

12. People wear masks to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

13. Regarding the B6 diversion: The Bahamian government does require valid passports from U.S. citizens wishing to enter. So an unusual diversion, yes. Judging from the amount of time the flight spent at NAS before departing, sounds like pax just remained onboard for duration of diversion. Likely the case, therefore entry into a foreign port did not occur. Other possibility is if NAS has an international in-transit lounge. Such an area could be used in a pinch for non-cleared passengers.

    The condition of the aircraft operating the flight – including enroute performance, existence (or rather, lack thereof) of MEL’s and/or other deferred maintenance) would’ve been a factor in the decision making process to land internationally.

    Still, B6 was very fortunate not to have an issue – be it maintenance, crew legality, etc. – where the flight subsequently cancels.

14. Can someone please explain why they could not have landed at any other domestic airport, whether in Florida or not?

15. People asking why it couldn’t divert to another airport…. Routinely aircraft divert around the weather. There was a flash flood in the area which means there was a weather incident. It is very likely that this airport was chosen based on safety parameters such as aircraft runway requirements, fuel on board and safety thresholds such as contingency for missed approaches and go around. When they were diverted it is likely that many other aircraft with the same destination were simultaneously being diverted and that combined with aircraft destined to other airports in the area of safety for this flight couldn’t handle it. Safety first above other issues. You don’t want a passenger aircraft coasting on fumes towards another airport. And before anyone says why don’t they just fill the plane all the way up, it’s a matter of efficiency in the weight and balance calculation for the flight. Extra fuel adds weight and extra weight requires more fuel to travel the same distance.

16. TY @K3pO

17. Yea right. Miami. Fll. Mco. Pbi.are right there.Jetblue dat different mission impossible. They lying to you why.?????

18. @Paul. Yes that was my thought. Watched MH370 recently on Netflix so my antenna is up with cargo shipment alone

19. There are many factors that most people do not understand nor would comprehend. They weren’t the only plane flying that day, had they had infinite fuel, sure they could wait for one of those other airports to accept them, however the Bahamas were very close and safe, and the weather was not what was expected, a historical Florida rainfall record , forcing the closer of the airport, so before you try to figure it out on your own without the knowledge or understanding of how an airline works, don’t try to make sense of it. Unfortunate and painful for the passengers yes, but being stuck on that plane for many hours due to the conditions at the airport or god forbid an accident, I would gladly accept the return to Newark. Don’t fall for this click bait narrative, it was a very unique situation and caused tons of problems far greater than getting some gas in the Bahamas and returning to EWR.

20. @Paul Hansford more likely answer is that closer airports were already full due to the sudden surge in traffic. Also a possibility: the weather at the airports closest to the destination was terrible, and there was inherent and unnecessary risk to landing close by. Sometimes the airport with the best facilities for a certain flight might end up being in another country. Safety always comes first.
    If an airliner was determined to be less of a pain in the ass to divert stateside they certainly would have. Both the ATC and airlines interests are aligned here: Minimize risk and disruption, in that order.

21. Flights divert to the best alternate airport given weather, fuel, conditions. As long as passengers didn’t formally enter the foreign country, they’d still be “domestic” upon the resumption of the diverted flight. For what it’s worth, the US, Canada, and Mexico have arrangements for medical emergencies when the closest facility is in the “wrong” country; the port of entry is informed in advance to facilitate clearance. This happens more often than you might think in rural areas of the US/Canada border where the closest hospital is on the other side. Border officers always have authority to relax the rules for “humanitarian” reasons, like a passenger who falls deathly ill on a flight that was expected to be domestic.

22. What Andy said ^^

    Also, as long as passengers are held “airside”, they don’t need a passport/visa.