So me and my friend after spotting that day from the Manchester Airport AVP, spent the night roughing it in the airport terminal.
Around 6am, we went to spend time in the Terminal 3 Escape Lounge. The lounge was £18 a person for 3 hours. Something nice to experience. The lounge was nice and provided a good view, though we power napped most of the time there.
We went to our gate about an hour before our flight and we found our Airbus A321 for this excursion would be G-EUXJ.
We boarded the Airbus and left MAN pretty quickly and on time. The climb out was quick and smooth, We had a nice clear flight. This time- unlike on BA1378, we had the Screens down showing the map of our flight.
Breakfast service came around and I had the option for a Bacon Roll with a cup of tea.
We were near LHR and circling in one of the holds for a while when the pilots came over the mic to announce that due to weather issues (fog) and a badly timed Emergency landing of a Chicago bound Boeing 767-300(WL) we would subsequently divert to London Luton Airport.
We landed at London Luton about 30 minutes after we were due to be arriving at LHR. After a short taxi where I got pictures of 2 easyJet A319 and 2x Ryanair 737 we parked next to a Monarch Airlines Airbus A321.
Within 30 minutes we were joined by two other Airbus diverting from London Heathrow- BA Airbus A320-200(CEO,WL) G-EUYY and Air Malta A320.
We totalled 90 minutes waiting at London Luton before we got given the ok to leave for LHR. I took the time to get some images and move from Row 20 to Row 9. Change of scenery for the 3rd flight.
We departed London Luton about 90 minutes after diverting and after a short 15 minute flight we arrived down at London Heathrow. Where I got some images of arriving aircraft as we taxied to the Terminal. After disembarking I got on the train home after a long trip…
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Yikes, you spent the night in the terminal? I wouldn't be able to deal with that. I hope the pay-in lounge that you went to had showers. Seems like the diversion was handled pretty well. Diversions are never ideal, but it seems that it was handled quickly.
Thanks for sharing!
I thought the divert was a nice little extra & a free flight for me. I have done the roughing in the terminal before, i like doing it. The lounge didn't have showers to my knowledge. I had a stick of deodorant for me, I just wanted a free breakfast, sleep and a good place for viewing the aircraft. Can't wait to share my next two review over Easter from my Zurich spotting visit.