“so now they are blaming it on the “outdated” flight plan?”
According to the article the plane’s takeoff was delayed three hours. When they got over Iranian air space the allowed time for the flight had run out. Apparently, the Iranians ordered them to turn back. The pilot said he didn’t have enough fuel. (Really?!) The plane was forced to land, inspected and allowed to leave.
If this was harassment, it was darned light, given that in Iran harassment is arrest and incarceration for a couple of years. Two questions. What did the fuel cost compared to the usual? And, what did our country give away to get the airborne again? A bonus question is, why are we flying Americans over Iran?
Look on a map. The maps I saw yesterday looked like we were just about to leave Iranian airspace. I agree it is minor, for them. However, it seems more than minor to force a plane to land. We re cutting them slack since they didn’t kill or kidnap our people. How lousy is that? A normal President would be ticked off over this.
” A bonus question is, why are we flying Americans over Iran?”
Before ISIS took over a lot of Iraq, the mid east air space over Iraq looked like I5 during a work week.
After ISIS, most of the air traffic is now flying over Iraq, including non Arabic planes.
Check out the radar of planes flying over Iran, now. Drag your mouse pointer over the planes to see what airline and plane is shown.
http://www.flightradar24.com/33.33,44.28/6
Yes, not enough to return but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have enough fuel to reach an alternate if needed. Past of point of no return.
“Forced” down was because of the timing issue but was quickly resolved. . .and I think it was resolved quickly because the aircraft was UAE-owned. . not American.
If it was American I am sure the plane would still be there, if not the entire passenger manifest.
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