QF 8 diverted to LAX Saturday, March 16. If you look at the flight path, you will notice QF 8 was closer to Los Cabos (MMSD) and SAN, yet instead went all the way to LAX. Does anyone know why this flight diverted, and if so why to LAX with 2+ suitable airports closer?
My best guess is that there was a minor mechanical issue and Qantas wanted to fix @ LAX. But, thats just a guess. QF8D is on its way from LAX to Brisbane right now.
Customs issues with Mexico seems like a reason why they wouldn’t end up there. Resources of LAX over SAN if its a mechanical. Now if it was a major medical I would bet things would be addressed in a different order.
QFA has a base of operations (read: maintenance and operational crew) at LAX, whereas they do not at KSAN. So if it were anything mechanical for it, and they are able to make it (read: not absolutely requiring nearest suitable airport), KLAX would have been their better choice. Prime example: If they had to swap equipment, they’d have a B744 available there, without having to ferry one down from LAX, bring one out of storage, or worse: ferry one up from YSSY or YBBN.
BL.