WATCH: Hundreds of passengers are frustrated after two flights were forced to make unexpected landings, while a B.C. family says their granddaughter was left alone overnight at Vancouver airport. Robin Gill reports.
TORONTO – On Saturday, passengers on a flight from Manzanillo, Mexico, to Vancouver, B.C. found themselves at Abbotsford International Airport — without warning.
To make matters worse, 36 bags were still in Mexico.
READ MORE: Sunwing investigating after 12-year-old spent night alone in YVR
Why? Because pilots of the Boeing 737-800 faced strong headwinds that would have maximized the plane’s fuel consumption.
For some passengers, the situation seemed odd when the airport was less than 100-km away.
But Scott Hamilton from Leeham Company, an aviation consulting company, said it’s not unusual for planes to require to refuel, in particular, with strong headwinds.
“It goes with headwinds and the payload range of the 737 with 189 seats,” he said. “Offloading baggage, at the origin, is not unknown. It’s not common, but it’s not unknown. And it usually has to do with the airplane going at the extreme range of its capability.”
Hamilton said that the 737, at a configuration of 162 passengers is expected to fly about 3100 nautical miles, about 5700 km. But the Sunwing jet has 189 seats which would reduce the range. Boeing’s website does not give the maximum range of a 189-passenger configuration. According to FlightAware, Flight 262 flew about 2100 nautical miles, or 3700 km.
Hamilton said that you might see planes having to refuel more in the winter due to stronger headwinds.
“Theoretically, there shouldn’t have been a problem,” Hamilton said. “And obviously, you don’t want to play Russian roulette with your fuel gauge.”
“In aviation, in an airborne airplane, close is no cigar,” Hamilton said.
In a statement sent to Global News, Sunwing confirmed that the baggage offloading was due to the weather at the time.
“Prior to departure from Mexico, 36 bags were also offloaded in Manzanillo to reduce the aircraft weight in an effort to alleviate excess fuel burn due to the anticipated headwinds.
Such incidents are not a regular occurrence, and it is important to note that the customers were not in any danger. This was not an emergency landing.”
Chris Krepski, a spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board said that they are aware of the situation and awaiting a report from Sunwing.
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