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A TPG Reader Shares His Experience Being Trapped Inside Air France 66

Sept. 30, 2017
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4 min read
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A TPG Reader Shares His Experience Being Trapped Inside Air France 66
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Earlier Saturday Air France 66, an Airbus A380 enroute from Paris (CDG) to Los Angeles (LAX) was forced to divert to Goose Bay, Canada (YYR) after a major engine failure. Fortunately the flight landed safely with all passengers and crew uninjured.

However, the ordeal for the flight's occupants hasn't ended yet. The Points Guy reader Kent, who is currently on board the flight, has reached out to us to let us know that the passengers are still trapped on the grounded plane, which landed at 1:40pm local time (12:40pm ET.) They are now expected to be ferried out on different airplanes at 4am Sunday local time, after more than 14 hours spent on the ground in the plane.

First, here's how Kent described the actual engine failure as he experienced it from his seat in the middle of the aircraft (his text has been lightly edited for clarity):



Around Greenland and over the Atlantic Ocean, I felt a loud thud and loss of altitude. It was followed by a significant vibration that shook the aircraft. As a pilot, I recognized it as a engine failure and as the remaining A380 engines slowed, the vibration also reduced.
Within seconds, the flight crew began emergency landing protocols and people began to worry. Several of the passengers began to cry and ask each other what was happening.
Other passengers began pointing out the disintegrated engine and taking photos. According to headrest map, the aircraft descended to 28,500 [feet].
About 10 minutes after the incident, the pilot announced the aircraft was stable and he was attempting a forced landing at Goose Bay.
About 60 minutes later or 1230pm, the pilot made a short field landing with an abrupt stop.

Although Goose Bay is sometimes used as an emergency fueling stop for civilian aircraft, it is mostly a Canadian Forces Base used by the Canadian air force. As a result, despite the fact that everyone was safely on the ground, there was no way to then deplane either onto the tarmac or into the airport:



We have been stuck in the plane since. According to the crew, this airport does not maintain equipment to deplane an A380. They served a meal about 2 hours ago and put out all of the drink carts that have since been pillaged by passengers.
The pilot has made rounds around the aircraft and told us a 777 is enroute from France to take us the rest of the way.
Passengers have recently become frustrated and began challenging the flight crew. In response, they have opened a door and let people smoke cigarettes in the opening. Bathrooms are becoming filthy and in need of service.
We have no timeline or know what to expect next.

A short while after this story was published at 6:20pm Eastern time, Kent sent us additional info from the aircraft:



They just gave us an update. The first "rescue" plane from France is out 5 hours from now. The second plane is 2 hours after the first. They are not letting anyone off the plane till then...

An Air France spokesperson emailed us to let us know that the airline is sending one of its 777s, as the captain had told the passengers, plus a chartered 737. The first plane will leave Goose Bay (YYR) at 4:15am local time on Sunday.

We will continue to update our readers as we get more information, and we thank Kent for sharing his experiences from aboard the flight.

This story has been updated to reflect new information from the aircraft in Goose Bay.

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Why We Chose It

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.