Virgin Atlantic plane turned away from JFK

Hello

Just heard on Radio 2 news that a VS plane has been turned away from JFK and diverted to Halifax after wrongly transmitting a distress/hikack signal. Guessing its the VS45. Ooh, just found this, it was.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=8691948

Dean

This from the Canadian Broadcasting Corp ( the BBC of Canada )
Jet lands in Halifax after false hijack alert
Last Updated Fri, 03 Jun 2005 11:16:33 EDT
CBC News

A Virgin Atlantic airplane with 288 people on board landed in Halifax Friday morning, escorted by two Canadian fighter jets, after being diverted from its New York destination over a hijacking scare......


for full story click link

Dave




Edit by Mod to remove copyrighted article... Nick

BBC news link here ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4607657.stm

g

[ChuckC]

Being reported by CBS Radio in the States as we speak.

More US media info to follow as I receive it.

Chuck=

[ChuckC]

Confirmation now from the Associated Press:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00539.html

1) It was VS045

2) VS says hijack signal transmitted falsely

3) 2 Canadian fighter jets intercepted

4) Aircraft safe and on ground

5) VS states VS045 will continue to JFK as soon as possible.

Another version of events here.

[preiffer]

To be fair, for once, the authorities acted entirely correctly in this case. [y]

How could they prove that the plane wasn't being hijacked after the signal was broadcast?!

[Nottingham Nick]

I agree with Paul, especially as the flight was on its way to New York.

It is certainly something the VS engineers will have to look at closely, I wouldn't think it will take too many of these scares, before Homeland Security take some serious action. [V]


Nick

Anyone know what plane this was ??

[ChuckC]

Agree with Nick.

This part of the story really got me, I must admit: one account indicated that the fighters flew alongside VS045 and checked on the appearance of the cockpit and passenger cabin where people appeared to be normal. Come on, now: how could anyone appear "normal" when looking out the window of a passenger jet at two fighter jets off the wings? If the jets were close enough to see the faces of the pax that would be enough to excite anyone who wasn't asleep.

Amazing.

Chuck-

[ChuckC]

BTW a belated "hats off" to Dean (Wolves27) for breaking the story here on VFlyer. Thanks, Dean!

Regards,
Chuck-

Is it known whether it is a -300 or a -600, I am assuming it is a -600 because it was flying to JFK. Thank god it wasn't a real hijacking, but at least the United States has done something right for once.

Yep it was a 600.

[Nottingham Nick]

According to a poster on FT 'it appears to be "Queen of the Prom" though I don't have HDTV'

From that we can assume it is G-VEIL - 'Queen of the Skies'

Nick

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
According to a poster on FT 'it appears to be "Queen of the Prom" though I don't have HDTV'

From that we can assume it is G-VEIL - 'Queen of the Skies'

Nick

Hahaha, not a bad name actually.

[preiffer]

Looks like it's finally due to land soon...


Flight number VS 045
Departure date 03 Jun 2005
Route London (LHR) to New York (JFK)
Scheduled departure time 03 Jun 09:30
Actual departure time 03 Jun 09:35
Scheduled arrival time 03 Jun 12:10
Estimated arrival time 03 Jun 16:39

[ChuckC]

Paul,

According to query results on Expertflyer.com

G-VEIL arrived JFK 16:43

Regards,
Chuck-

[preiffer]

Cool - only 4 minutes off VS's estimate then!

Hmm... I wonder if there was a v-flyer onboard. That would be an interesting Trip Report