Why did jet head to Alice instead of Darwin in emergency?

QUESTIONS have been raised over why Malaysia Airlines flight 122 diverted to Alice Springs when other airports, including Darwin, would have been closer

QUESTIONS have been raised over why Malaysia Airlines flight 122 diverted to Alice Springs when other airports, including Darwin, would have been closer.

Travelling from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur, the aircraft was over Derby in Western Australia when an engine failure caused the flight to head back towards Alice Springs.

An Australian airline captain, who asked not to be named, said there were many reasons why the pilots would have chosen Alice Springs over closer airports.

Malaysia Airlines flight 122 made an emergency landing at Alice Springs Airport on Thursday.

Alan Millett and Sally Turner were on board Picture: SUPPLIED

“If I was out there making the decision, and I was down to one engine, the things that would come into my consideration would be the weather at alternate airports, the time to the diversion alternate, the facilities at the alternate and other considerations including what the airline would prefer,” the pilot said. “Often there’s more than one choice (of airport) and you select the best one based on a variety of factors.”

The pilot said that while a company could recommend preferred airports, the captain had the final say.

“Unless you were inside the cockpit with the Malaysia guys, you can’t say what they were thinking, but this decision-making process is commonplace, well-structured and well-trained in airlines around the world.”

Alan Millett and Sally Turner were on the first leg of their trip back to England. “When they start talking about brace positions, it’s worrying, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Mr Millett said.

“You don’t know if it’s going to be the end. They pointed out the emergency exits and I was really paying attention to where they were.”

Despite the terrifying situation, Ms Turner said no one panicked.

“Everyone was really concentrating, listening hard and were very alert when the crew went through the emergency procedures, the brace position,” she said. “No one made any noise at all, they were just concentrating hard on what they were being told.”

Malaysia Airlines was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline.