Tim Richards

This is the one problem about those extra-long non-stop flights, you might have to land somewhere unexpected if fuel runs low.

"A Qantas flight from London to Perth has been forced to make an unexpected landing in a West Australian mining town after running into headwinds without enough fuel to complete its planned journey in one go.

"The 17-hour flight, QF10, was scheduled to land at Perth Airport at midday today, but instead diverted to Karratha Airport, about 1500 kilometres north in the Pilbara region."

#flying #Qantas #travel https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/qantas-flight-forced-to-make-remote-landing-after-running-into-headwinds-20260623-p609e9.html

Qantas flight forced to make remote landing after running into headwinds

The unexpected stop for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner in a remote West Australian mining town shows the challenges Qantas’ Project Sunrise could face.

The Sydney Morning Herald
Jun 24 at 12:40amWeb
Show threadFrank20h ago
@timrichards whooopsies!
Show threadTim Richards20h ago
@VWDasher It also happens from time to time with their nonstop flight from Sydney to Dallas/Fort Worth. They run short of fuel because of headwinds and have to stop somewhere earlier, such as LAX.
Show threadFrank19h ago
@timrichards they should just go downhill and coast, that will save fuel!
Show threadCycling Stu19h ago
@VWDasher @timrichards And used to happen returning from Dallas, stopping at Brisvegas rather than Sydney sometimes...
Show threadFrank19h ago
@stufromoz @timrichards they just had to restock the Vegemite for the final leg
Show threadPhil 🇦🇺20h ago
@timrichards MIL was waiting the two extra hours to get on that plane once it got to #Perth. I'm guessing the turnaround time would have been expedited and seats probably still warm and the cabin full of all those 18 hour old farts. Lovely.
I suppose might have been fun for the ground crew in Karattha - doubt they get to see a 787 often.
Show threadKim20h ago
@timrichards range anxiety hits hard at 30,000 feet
Show threadAnthony20h ago
@timrichards whoops! At least they had somewhere to land along the way.
Show threadisol20h ago

@timrichards

I know, use SpaceX to launch orbiting refuelling satellites in very low earth orbits above the non-stop flight paths ! 🤪

Show threadJames Cridland19h ago

@timrichards Another reason to avoid them, in my book. Much prefer a stop-off somewhere.

Sadly, my next big flight will include AKL-JFK which I’m very much not looking forward to.

Show threadTim Richards19h ago
@james that's a long one. Do they let you out at LAX to stretch your legs?
Show threadJames Cridland19h ago
@timrichards Direct. Non-stop. I’ve done it only once - twice more, it seems, in September. Eurgh. 17 hours.
Show threadSu_G19h ago
@timrichards
Thank goodness for mining towns in general & Karratha in particular. Not every non-capital city ‘airport’ could handle such a request. 🙂