Golfhaus From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 132 posts, RR: 1 Posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 1853 times:
From our local paper:
FLIGHT MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING
By Troy Graham and Judith Malveaux
Daily Press
NEWPORT NEWS - A plane that took off from the Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport Sunday night had to turn around and make an emergency landing a short time later after passengers smelled smoke in the back of the jet. There was no fire on board and the plane's captain suspected the smell came from an overheated coffee warmer, said Jim Brown, the director of corporate communications for the airline Air Tran.
The Air Tran jet was supposed to land in Philadelphia earlier in the afternoon, but was diverted to Newport News due to bad weather and low fuel, passengers said. After refueling, the plane took off from Newport News.
"In a matter of five minutes there was some kind of smoke or fire in the back of the plane," said John Flick, a Delaware man on his way home. "I was asleep when we landed. I thought we were in Philadelphia."
A mechanic was called in to check the plane.
Passengers from the flight crowded the lobby of the airport Sunday night, contemplating whether to try another flight or take the airline's offer of pizza and a hotel room. After experiencing an emergency landing, many were unsure about flying again Sunday. No one was injured, but many of the 100 passengers on Flight 338 spent the night in Newport News.
"I know there's a lot of people who would rather stay in a hotel than go back up there," Flick said.
---
Scary moment for us at US Airways Express, as our last Philadelphia flight was delayed, and once AirTran found out, wanted to fill up our plane with their people after we had sent everyone home. The last thing we wanted was three of us to go and take 37 AirTran passengers on OUR plane. Luckily, they decided instead to take their terminator for the night, and have it run PHF-PHL-PHF. Kinda feel sorry for the ground crew, though... there were probably still there when the morning crew came in this morning.
NUair From Malaysia, joined Jun 2000, 1181 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 1635 times:
It looks like the good old Value Jet I used to know is back at it. The FAA will love that one "we think it was a coffee warmer." More like the number two caught fire and fell off. Well safety was never Value Jet's forte let's see if they will pass on the legacy! But this little incident will cost them big time. Since now, if not already, the FAA will be all over them.
NUair
"How Many Assholes we got on this ship?" - Lord Helmet
Golfhaus From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 132 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 1613 times:
The sad thing was, it was not ten minutes before I climbed up into another one of their planes to have a look around, and commented that FL's Nines are better looking on the inside than US's are. I guess that would be expected, since theirs are still the mainstay of the fleet and ours are out the door, but still... guess you can't judge the quality of a plane by the seats.
What annoys me is that a plane making an emergency landing only warranted a small bit on the second page of the Local section of the paper. Grrrr.
AgnusBymaster From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 649 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 1580 times:
Air Tran has the most DC-9 irregular operations of any airline. I don't believe they are safe, and would rather put up with Delta's delays than Air Tran's danger. Shut em down now!
Dazed767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5447 posts, RR: 53 Reply 5, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 1549 times:
"I don't believe they are safe"
I think they are safe, I've flown on them 6 times, and never a problem. What about them do you think isn't safe?? True, the aircraft are old, but those are being replaced anyways. Have you flown them before? Probably not, so don't knock something you haven't tried yet. I wouldn't hesitate to fly them again. People make a big deal out of little things because they've had problems in the past. What if it was a Continental jet that make the emergency landing? Nobody would make a big deal out of that.
LN-MOW From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 1896 posts, RR: 15 Reply 6, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1528 times:
Agnusbystander: Here speaketh the ignorant one...
Any airline bragging of flying around without having to make 'emergency landings' (I hate this expression - it is mostly as dramatic as pulling into the next service station on the freeway) are scaring me to death. It would mean that they are flying around with a lot of defective equipment.
Every airline of a major size have technical diversions daily. It's routine and a proof that they are following the safety procedures.
Boiler Special From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 135 posts, RR: 3 Reply 8, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1517 times:
Good Lord guys. Everytime AirTran makes an "emergency landing" everybody gets all over it and cries safety issues. This was just an overheated coffee warmer. No big deal!
CactusA319 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 2918 posts, RR: 29 Reply 9, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1515 times:
N-156F From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1474 times:
My God, people, you're acting as if AirTran's entire fleet fell out of the sky at once! I hate FL as much as anyone can, and even I don't go on rants like these.
You vultures that sit out there and wait for an FL incident of any kind need to grow up and/or get a life. I don't see any of you posting things like "it'll hurt them big time" and "now they're finished" when UA or DL have emergency landings. The media needs a black sheep for the U.S. airline industry, and what better than the former ValuJet (which they so often and so unfairly refer to it as)?
Western737 From United States of America, joined May 2000, 489 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 1453 times:
Well, you know, there are quite numbers of people tend to get freak out over a little tiny cute thing. I guess that these kind of people need to be educated and learn what's not so bad about flying DC-3 nowday even though it has the highest numbers of crashes. Count me in with the side of people who see Valujet/AirTran as safe enough to fly.
BlueJet From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 397 posts, RR: 4 Reply 12, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 1432 times:
I have flown AirTran, and it was fine, although I do not really like them. But all in all I would definately fly one of those old DC-9's again. 5 or 6 "emergency landings" wont scare me. They are fine...
KCLE From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 686 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 1407 times:
I agree with most people on this subject. AirTran's a good airline, except they need better food, I went from CAK-MCO via ATL and they gave us Coca-Cola and little bags of party mix with the inevitable peanuts in it. If I remember, the worst problems were when the storm over Tennesee knocked the radome off the DC-9, and the other was when their prehistoric 737-200 lost hydralic pressure on the rwy. at ATL and flopped off the runway. Nobody was hurt in either accident. Even the more recent problems, people didn't get hurt. Besides, they're going to have all 717s in a few years.
Golfhaus From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 132 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 1377 times:
Eh... I dunno. I still have a rather strong dislike for AirTran. Doesn't really matter to me WHAT the real vs. perceived safety record is, their staff at my station leaves a LOT to be desired. And I've heard similar stories from encounters with their staff elsewhere, too.
Wilcharl From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 1158 posts, RR: 3 Reply 15, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 1376 times:
I had an awsome flight on friday and sunday on airtran, and the friday and sunday before that and the one before that, as a matter of fact i have had wonderful flights every week on airtran for the past 3 months. Best flight attendents, landings are always greesers.
Wilcharl From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 1158 posts, RR: 3 Reply 16, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 1374 times:
An air return is not an accident...
These are accidents :
(all in the past 7 days)
NORTHWEST AIRLINES DC-9 TURNED OFF RWY 9 TO TAXIWAY B AND SLID OFF
TAXIWAY INTO THE MUD, 70 PAX ON BOARD, FLINT, MI
UNITED 1763, N302UA, BOEING 737, ON FLIGHT FROM ATLANTA TO DENVER
STRUCK TAIL ON LANDING RWY 17R, SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, NO INJURIES,
DENVER, CO
PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS BOEING 727 ON FERRY FLIGHT SUFFERED LEFT WING
DAMAGE AFTER A MISSED APPROACH, ORLANDO, FL
Exusair From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 684 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 1367 times:
Pizza and a hotel room....hmmm...Throw in some peperoni and mushrooms and you've got a repeat customer! This is at least the 2nd FL smoke incident this year. The first one burned a hole in the side of a DC-9 and it's still sitting on the south ramp at ATL, right next to the 737-200 that ran off the runway and has been picked apart. They are either in the midst of a string of bad luck ( a la USAir through the late 80's and early 90's) or there is something seriously wrong with their DC-9 fleet.
NUair From Malaysia, joined Jun 2000, 1181 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 1319 times:
OK my original comment was meant to be aimed at the shady company they were subcontracting to to do maintenance work that failed to meet FAA standards. And as far as the DC-9's my friend works maintenance over at MEH and can back me up when I say the FAA is very cautious on the DC-9's because of recent issues do to decaying wires, and other such problems (I'm no expert, but you can check the FAA and look at DC-9 info). Anyway the DC-9's are getting a lot of attention (is it deserved? I don't know) but this incident with AirTran won't help the situation and will only make it worse for them (more so the maintenance company) until they get the 717's. I did fly Value jet frequently when I was living in the states but have never had the chance to fly AirTran, so Golfhaus you are right I have nothing to complain about. But I wouldn't call smoke on bored a routine safety matter, it didn't take much more to bring the Valuejet flight into the everglades.
And of course every airline has it's problems. Just the other week we had some KLM ramp agents drive a staircase right into the wing of a 737, needless to say the fire squad had to be called in to make sure the plane didn't explode when they pulled it out, but it was a good 2 feet in and ruptured the main fuel tank.
But when your the FAA and you have two airlines one, let's say United, who flys a few thousand flights a day and has a few incidents and one, Airtran who flys like 50-100 flights a day? , and has a few incidents. Who are you going to check more carefully? And add to it the fact that the second airline is charging less then Grayhound and is using equipment just as old.
NUair
"How Many Assholes we got on this ship?" - Lord Helmet
Nwa747-400 From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 1337 posts, RR: 5 Reply 21, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 1304 times:
As per the NTSB, an accident is defined as when:
An aircraft receives substantial damage
Occupants (passengers or crew) are seriously injured or killed
Golfhaus From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 132 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 1298 times:
Lowfareair, I'm not trying to draw a correlation between the lack of professionalism of the staff and a safety record. I'm just saying I don't like AirTran, period, for a number of reasons. I don't like the color of their planes. I don't like how their agents yell so loud you can hear them 50 feet down the terminal. I don't like how their passengers always assume that all airlines are the same and they can come to my counter to check in because they don't want to wait in the AirTran line. I don't like how AirTran doesn't provide luggage ID tags so they all come over to try to take ours.
AirTran is the next door neighbor that doesn't cut their grass and lets their kids play in your front yard without asking.
Wilcharl From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 1158 posts, RR: 3 Reply 23, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 1281 times:
I dont like USAir..... I dont like how the last time i flew them, a loose inspection plate on the wing was ratteling loose the entire light and i was brushed off when i told the agent (i did not see mx or the flt crew anywhere) I dont like the color of their planes, blue-black ick and metrojet red ick) I dont like the way they treat their customers in ATL, they seam to have a no care attitude, my 85 year old grandmother flew them, and I went to the customer service counter and went to inform them that she would be on the plane and she would need a wheel chair etc.... he brushed it off and said im sure its been taken care of and was rude about it... Ive always beleived in treating other airline employees as they were your own, but I didnt even get the resepct i would think any customer deserved. I love Airtran's orlando terminal, I love the setup with the digital signs, the art work the marble floors, I love the professionalism of their agents etc... My point? i guess i dont have one, other then everyone is entitled to their opinon Golfhaus has a right to not liking FL and I have one to not liking US anyways
Frostbite From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 394 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1274 times:
FYI for any of you living/travelling through ATL. The Air Tran 737 that slid off the runway awhile back can be seen collecting rust between the Northwest Airlines hangar and South Cargo buildings on the south side of the airport. It's no longer in Air Tran colors, just an anonymous hulk minus quite a few parts. Last I saw it one of the rear cabin doors was wide open to the weather. I doubt it will ever fly again.
25 Me: The damaged 737 is now the insurance companys problem. Boeing looked it over and declared it a total loss. I fly AirTran DC-9's more than anyone in th
26 Travatl: As an AirTran employee (working on my 6th year there), I must adamantly defend the safety of this carrier. The airline and it's employees are dedicate
27 Golfhaus: Travatl, How interesting to see an AirTran employee agree with my statement, when so many of the folks here accuse any critic of FL as being a Delta c
28 Bluridge: My airline flys brand new CRJs (worthless piece of metal from north of the border). From time to time we have diversions because of mechanical malfunc
29 Travatl: Golfhaus - I know....I know....I know. Trust me the frustrations at the PHF station are beyond reproach. (One reason I don't fly there anymore - that
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From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 132 posts, 
From Malaysia, joined Jun 2000, 1181 posts, 
Well safety was never Value Jet's forte let's see if they will pass on the legacy! But this little incident will cost them big time. Since now, if not already, the FAA will be all over them. 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
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