Distressed Plane Flew Over Putney To Return To Heathrow | |||
Questions asked by London Assembly about the BA plane with a burning engine
Richard's questions followed worried enquiries from Wandsworth councillors Rosemary Torrington and James Maddan who represent the riversideThamesfield ward on the flightpath. He wrote, "I represent Wandsworth and Merton GLA constituency comprising around 500,000 people. "Can I ask why Heathrow/BA decided to bring in a plane in flames right over central London rather than landing it in a country airfield like Farnborough or some such safer location. "Could you please provide me with an answer promptly."
I appreciate you wanted a quick answer, and I hope this covers that request, but happy to meet and discuss the procedures in more detail alongside our BA colleagues if this would be helpful." Richard Tracey has reported back to his Conservative colleagues on Wandsworth Council, but still they feel that, as the blazing aircraft flew over Hertfordshire and Essex before returning to Heathrow over east London and then the densely populated west London boroughs, a decison should have been taken to divert it to one of the less populated areas with an airport Richard comments, " My colleagues say the aircraft, with an engine on fire flew over Slough, Watford, and parts of Essex, before returning over the Thames Estuary and crossing south London, Battersea, Putney, Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith and Hounslow. This is complete madness. Three or four million people on the ground were put at risk and thousands of travellers from Heathrow had their flights cancelled. Incoming flights were diverted to Stansted, Luton, Cardiff, even Manston, and departing flights cancelled. Some flights were still being cancelled 24 hours later. "We are now seriously considering taking this further , including talks with Heathrow and British Airways" May 29, 2013 |