Why is a flight diverted from JFK to YYZ?

FlightAware General
1

This morning my flight from Ohio into LaGuardia was cancelled. I started to watch the New York area airports on FlightAware and started tracking the international flights when JFK opened back up. There was a Korean Air Flight 81 from Seoul to JFK that circled, making racetrack patterns for about a half hour, along with a Japan Air flight out of Tokyo. Nothing was landing at JFK while they circled. Then the airport opened, the Japan Air flight landed, as did a number of flights from South America, Bombay, Istanbul and Amsterdam.

The Korean Air Flight 81 – january 3 — then broke its pattern and headed to Toronto, where it is now landing.

I am not in the aviation industry, just like watching FlightAware, and wonder if anyone would know why that would happen. Thanks ins advance.

2

You seen the weather in NYC ?

panynj.gov/alerts-advisories … l?tabnum=2

3

Yes, I know the weather, my flight was cancelled. My question is why did others get in but they let this one circle for an hour then went to Toronto at the same time other large planes landed.

4

Most likely they needed to slow arrivals again to clear snow couldn’t hold any longer. They then headed for the closest alternate that had reasonable conditions and facilities.

5

Thanks for the explanation.

Ironic thing is that the original flight path took them directly over to Toronto — only to head back there to land three hours later !

6

It’s why they have alternates figure into flight plans. ALB sees a few EWR diverts due to weather and it’s on the way too. Sometimes they stop on the way. Sometimes they come back.