Dutch low value service Transavia had a fairly eventful day yesterday, after a stowaway passenger induced two diversions.
Transavia flight to Malaga diverts to Madrid
On Monday, October 3, 2022, a Russian girl managed to sneak onto a Transavia flight at Rotterdam Airport (RTM) and not using a ticket.
Based on experiences, the girl got here as much as the safety checkpoint and not using a ticket, after which pressed an emergency button. Amid all of the chaos, she managed to sneak by way of safety, after which additionally managed to board the closest flight with out anybody (initially) catching on.
Because it turned out, the flight she had boarded was Transavia flight HV5023, a Boeing 737-700 scheduled to function to Malaga (AGP). The flight one way or the other departed earlier than authorities discovered she had boarded this flight, and it even took off.
Sooner or later throughout the flight, the crew was made conscious that the girl who breached the safety checkpoint was probably on this flight, so the airplane diverted to Madrid (MAD). That flight took simply over two hours.
As soon as in Madrid, Spanish authorities questioned the girl, and in addition inspected the airplane to verify there have been no objects onboard that hadn’t been screened. That is additionally the purpose at which passengers have been made conscious of the state of affairs.
The airplane ended up spending roughly 3.5 hours on the bottom in Madrid, earlier than working the 49-minute flight to Malaga. Passengers ended up arriving at their vacation spot round 4 hours late.
Transavia flight to Faro diverts to Bordeaux
The Transavia flight from Rotterdam to Malaga wasn’t the one one which diverted. Initially authorities didn’t know which flight the girl had boarded, and it was additionally believed she may be on Transavia flight HV6093 to Faro (FAO).
The pilots have been instructed {that a} stowaway may be on this flight, in order that they made the choice to divert to Bordeaux. Apparently fairly far into the descent it was decided that the girl wasn’t really on this flight, however the determination was made to divert anyway. As a Transavia spokesperson describes this:
“We initially acquired data from the Marechaussee that there can be a passenger on that flight who didn’t belong there. That’s the reason that airplane was getting ready for a stopover in Bordeaux. When it turned out that it was one other flight, that touchdown had already progressed up to now that it was ultimately made. However now the airplane has landed in Faro.”
This flight solely ended up spending round an hour on the bottom in Bordeaux, earlier than persevering with on the 90-minute flight to Faro. It arrived at its vacation spot round 80 minutes late.
What a multitude of a state of affairs
For all the trouble allegedly put into safety and ensuring the suitable individuals board the suitable planes, it positive looks as if lots went flawed right here:
- Somebody managed to get by way of safety and board a airplane by urgent an emergency button, with out being observed?!
- You’d assume flights would keep on the bottom after such a safety breach till it may be investigated, however on this case the flight with the stowaway took off
- It was then a very long time after takeoff earlier than it was found this stowaway was on board — what was the purpose of even diverting when the airplane was solely marginally farther from its supposed vacation spot?
- Then one other Transavia flight diverted as effectively, as a result of authorities weren’t even initially positive which flight this stowaway was on
I’m not suggesting there’s a single get together at fault right here, however this looks as if a fairly big and disorganized mess to me.
Backside line
A lady managed to sneak on a Transavia flight yesterday after urgent the emergency button at Rotterdam Airport. This induced two separate diversions, with one being the precise flight the traveler was on. Whereas the stowaway in the end didn’t get away with it, it’s nonetheless form of unbelievable how simply she managed to sneak onto a flight.
What do you make of this incident at Rotterdam Airport?
(Tip of the hat to @WilliamvdHoorn)
