Re:Ghana bans a Delta Boeing 767 (yes, just one)
by MattRix on Saturday August 27, 2022 @02:12AM
(#32616250)
There don’t have to be known safety concerns. At a certain point they can decide that their citizens have been inconvenienced enough by issues with that specific plane.
Re:Ghana bans a Delta Boeing 767 (yes, just one)
by inferiorhuman on Saturday August 27, 2022 @04:04AM
(#32616871)
IOW despite all the hand wringing on HN banning a single plane is a political issue not a safety one.
Edit: Another comment mentioned "an issue with the brakes" as the cause of a two hour delay. That's a great example of something that sounds scary but doesn't actually pose a safety risk. Something like an autobrake or anti-skid fault would not create a safety problem at departure or during flight – the problem comes from the increased (visibility, runway length, runway condition) requirements. Those increased requirements in turn increase the chance of a costly diversion. It was likely just cheaper to front load a solution at ACC.
Or, you know, the sky is falling and Ghana has blown the whistle on a major lapse in safety culture at Delta. /s
Airplanes can fly with all sorts of things missing or inoperative, and they do so every day. Safety issues are certainly one reason an airplane might return to the gate, but on a longer flight comfort and economic issues tend to become more important than they otherwise would. Autopilot acting up? You can fly the plane just fine, but not in the more precise RVSM corridors. Toilet clogged? Not a problem on a shorter flight, but on a long, full flight it might be easier to turn around (especially if Delta has a maintenance presence there). Bad weather at the destination?
With nothing but hand waving it feels a lot more like the sort of "safety concern" Al Baker would raise a stink about than an actual issue.