Update on this report...apparently Customs WAS available, but the pilot did not want to spend the night in Milwaukee so he kept everyone inside waiting for clearance to ORD that never came. Finally the crew timed out and everyone got off when they could have gotten off much sooner.
AirTran737 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3639 posts, RR: 12 Reply 1, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 7189 times:
Quoting TVNWZ (Thread starter): Update on this report...apparently Customs WAS available, but the pilot did not want to spend the night in Milwaukee so he kept everyone inside waiting for clearance to ORD that never came. Finally the crew timed out and everyone got off when they could have gotten off much sooner.
MKE Customs is able to handle a GV on a short notice basis, not a full A340. I would have kept them on the plane as well.
Nice Trip Report!!! Great Pics, thanks for posting!!!! B747Forever
TVNWZ From United States of America, joined Feb 2006, 2200 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 7013 times:
Quoting AirTran737 (Reply 1): MKE Customs is able to handle a GV on a short notice basis, not a full A340. I would have kept them on the plane as well.
Actually, customs is saying they were there and ready. Customs in MKE can easily handle A-320s and such on Mexican charters and have handled widebodies in the past on diverted flights from ORD without problems.
AirTran737 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3639 posts, RR: 12 Reply 3, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 6949 times:
Quoting TVNWZ (Reply 2): Actually, customs is saying they were there and ready. Customs in MKE can easily handle A-320s and such on Mexican charters and have handled widebodies in the past on diverted flights from ORD without problems.
Those charters are scheduled service, and therefore Customs is staffed for it. If you drive over to the IAB in MKE you will see that on a given day there is only one or two cars parked there. Where in the article does it say that Customs had staffing for this arrival? If they cleared it, that means they called people in from home. They just don't have that kind of manning there. I only worked at Mitchell for four and a half years and handled Internatinal charters, I wouldn't know what I am taking about would I?
Nice Trip Report!!! Great Pics, thanks for posting!!!! B747Forever
Mke717spotter From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 2315 posts, RR: 5 Reply 4, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 6911 times:
Is the plane still at MKE? I scanned through flightaware and did not see it under departures.
Will you watch the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions on Sunday? Only if coach Eric Mangini resigned after a loss.
TVNWZ From United States of America, joined Feb 2006, 2200 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 6784 times:
Quoting AirTran737 (Reply 3): Where in the article does it say that Customs had staffing for this arrival? If they cleared it, that means they called people in from home. They just don't have that kind of manning there. I only worked at Mitchell for four and a half years and handled Internatinal charters, I wouldn't know what I am taking about would I?
I am not questioning your knowledge. I am just passing along info. WTMJ radio had someone from the airport saying customs was standing by to clear the flight, but the crew declined. That is all. The logistics of how customs got there, I will leave to you. Chill.
AirTran737 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3639 posts, RR: 12 Reply 6, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 6655 times:
Quoting TVNWZ (Reply 5): I am not questioning your knowledge. I am just passing along info. WTMJ radio had someone from the airport saying customs was standing by to clear the flight, but the crew declined. That is all. The logistics of how customs got there, I will leave to you. Chill
No harm no foul. It would be nice if MKE could staff the Customs office for times when ORD goes to hell. It would make life easier for a lot of people. The only thing is, KE can only handle one widebody at a time, so the wait could get extensive. Sometimes in the winter you would see Apple, Midwest, and Allegiant all parked at the IAB waiting to get onto the jetway.
Nice Trip Report!!! Great Pics, thanks for posting!!!! B747Forever
EWRCabincrew From United States of America, joined May 2006, 5522 posts, RR: 57 Reply 7, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 6619 times:
Quoting AirTran737 (Reply 6): The only thing is, KE can only handle one widebody at a time, so the wait could get extensive.
It happens. CLE has two gates for international arrivals right now (A-14 and A-16, I believe). If more than one flight arrives, one sometimes has to wait.
The AF flight could have cleared customs in MKE when it arrived, it may have taken a while too. Sh** happens. We had a DC-10 cancel from CDG-IAH in MSY. It took a while, too, but we cleared. These things happen.
Mkeflyer717 From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 431 posts, RR: 13 Reply 8, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 6390 times:
Yeah, its suprisingly still here...
I took that around 5pm today and it didnt look like it was leaving anytime soon. I've never seen a diversion sit here so long before.
Local news says it will be taking off at 11pm Central Time tonight. Also it was the AF crew that did not want to deplane. MKE Customs was not at fault. It doesn't take 6 hours to get customs to report to work.
HPAEAA From United States of America, joined May 2006, 1020 posts, RR: 2 Reply 10, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 6351 times:
Quoting EWRCabincrew (Reply 7): It happens. CLE has two gates for international arrivals right now (A-14 and A-16, I believe). If more than one flight arrives, one sometimes has to wait.
Mke717spotter From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 2315 posts, RR: 5 Reply 11, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 6062 times:
Well its a little bit past 11 here in MKE now so I guess that A343 should be headin down to ORD momentarily. Anyone know what's goin to happen to that bird when it gets to ORD?
Will you watch the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions on Sunday? Only if coach Eric Mangini resigned after a loss.
Mke717spotter From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 2315 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 5826 times:
HowSwedeitis From Sweden, joined Jul 2007, 586 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 5782 times:
Even if there were only two customs agents, I would have rather waited in an airport, or even in a line outside rather than in a hot and humid plane with no water or toilet usage! I wonder if the first class PAX just reclined and went to bed. (I know I would.) I bet the pilots just slid the windows open and read a book!
AAFLT1871 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 2333 posts, RR: 16 Reply 15, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 5651 times:
My question is, if the crew timed out, who flew it down to ORD then? To be honest I do not know how that works when it comes to timing out. Are there provisions that allow the same crew to continue the flight to its final destination?
Star_world From Ireland, joined Jun 2001, 1234 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 5482 times:
Quoting AAFLT1871 (Reply 15): My question is, if the crew timed out, who flew it down to ORD then? To be honest I do not know how that works when it comes to timing out. Are there provisions that allow the same crew to continue the flight to its final destination?
It arrived in MKE yesterday, and flew out today. The same crew presumably spent the night in MKE and flew down to ORD tonight.
Star_world From Ireland, joined Jun 2001, 1234 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 5388 times:
Quoting D328 (Reply 17): Sorry but if they see planes may be diverting to MKE from ORD, would they not call in more customs?
Have you read this thread? Customs was not the issue here, it was the AF crew not wanting to spend the night in MKE and hoping they would eventually get clearance to ORD.
LHSTR From Germany, joined Mar 2001, 226 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 5221 times:
Quoting Star_world (Reply 18): Have you read this thread? Customs was not the issue here, it was the AF crew not wanting to spend the night in MKE and hoping they would eventually get clearance to ORD.
This is a no win situation for an airline, as you dont know how long your original airport will be closed.
People understandably complain when they are forced to stay longer on the plane than they have to. But if OHare all off a sudden reopened, they would understandably complain why they were not able to actually fly to ORD.
Add into this conclusion, that AF has no ground-handling whatsoever in MKE and it would be awfully hard to organize transfers, other flights, lost bags, etc.
ANother From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (5 years 9 months 4 days ago) and read 3248 times:
Quoting Davescj (Reply 12): As a EU carrier, do the pax get the compensation? or does that not apply in this case, since I"m guessing that the diversion was due to weather?
EU Regulation 291 does not apply to diversions, it applies to denied boarding, cancellations and long delays. Long delays are measured by the actual time of departure, not arrival.
In any case - why should AF pay compensation? The diversion wasn't their choice, ORD was closed. You may wish to second guess the PICs decision to hold in anticipation of being able to complete the flight as scheduled, the fact that the weather didn't co-operate shouldn't be a reason for compensation.
YXwatcherMKE From United States of America, joined May 2007, 799 posts, RR: 2 Reply 21, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 2416 times:
Well form my point of view, and I was at MKE while the AF A-340 sat their in the at the north end of the field that the AF crew must have been offended that they were put so far away from the terminal. But what I saw was every attempt to have the aircraft moved to the IAB that "AirTran737 " stated could not have staff to take care of a plane that size. WRONG!! 30 minutes after the AF A-340 landed a AA B-777 came in proceeded right to the IAB, the jetway docked and 30 minutes later the jetway pulled away the 777 was pushed back and it then proceeded to move over to a position in front of the Skyways hanger where it sat until approx. 2000hrs, when AA departed on 19R. During this time the AF A-340 lost all power (Somewhere around 1830) and the doors had been open for about an hour before it went totally dark. About 2030 the aircraft was able to power up. Shortly after that ATC asked AF if it wanted to go to the IAB and the reply was "NO we will be cleared for ORD soon" ATC asked them "Sir do you information that we do not? Because MKE ATC has not any info the that fact." There was about 10 of us "watchers" at the viewing area that were all LOL. If I were the passengers of that Flight I would be asking for some kind of compensation from AF for that lost time at the pilots stupidity. I left @ 2115 with no change in the situation. It was nice however to see so many widebodies at MKE on the ground at the same time, at ORD's expense.
Oh BTW, this is my first post, but I been a reader for years now.
I miss the 60's & 70's when you felt like a guest on the plane not cattle like today
SkyexRamper From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days ago) and read 2211 times:
Quoting YXwatcherMKE (Reply 21): Shortly after that ATC asked AF if it wanted to go to the IAB and the reply was "NO we will be cleared for ORD soon" ATC asked them "Sir do you information that we do not? Because MKE ATC has not any info the that fact." There was about 10 of us "watchers" at the viewing area that were all LOL.
That is why the FAA and airlines ban scanners from being used onboard, it would only cause rioting.
25 YXwatcherMKE: I understand the ban of scanners I lost one in 2002. I had no intention of using it on the flight, it was for a gift to my brother. it was still in t
26 Smcmac32msn: So when are they going to schedule them? 30 days in advance? 15 days in advance? You can't predict the weather, and thats exactly what crew schedulin
27 Mk777: A similar incident happened to me when i flew CDG-DEL and we had to divert to HYD due to low visibility (dense fog) at DEL. HYD though, is about a 2hr
28 AirTran737: You can watch the weather and when the extended forecast says there will be rain then someone could say "you three agents are on call". Is it really
29 Smcmac32msn: Beleiving weather people is like getting your news from FOX.
30 N822ME: I gather you love being on reserve. In fact, I bet you bid reserve lines every month by choice.
31 A340Spotter: Don't suppose you have a link for this ban, do you? Reason I ask is that it may explain why my scanner disappeared about 2 years ago on a flight from
32 SkyexRamper: I was joking but you can't have an radios on board a US airliner. I'm sure it's printed on ticket jackets. The reason your scanner vanished is probab
33 PanHAM: Very bad show by AF. Even one each customs / immigration agent could have cleared the passengers in much less time than 6 hours. Usually, airlines hav
34 SkyexRamper: Well of course they could have done different, but since they didn't because the captain made the call. There isn't much that can be done now.
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If I were the passengers of that Flight I would be asking for some kind of compensation from AF for that lost time at the pilots stupidity. I left @ 2115 with no change in the situation. It was nice however to see so many widebodies at MKE on the ground at the same time, at ORD's expense. 
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