Passengers on a flight from Dublin, Ireland to San Francisco, California found themselves making an unexpected stop in Iqaluit last Tuesday when somebody on board required urgent medical attention.

The Aer Lingus Airbus A330-300, which seats nearly 300 people and is classified as a wide-body aircraft, landed in the city for approximately three hours, during which time one passenger was taken to the hospital, and the plane was refuelled.

It was certainly not what the passengers on board expected, and an unusual sight for anybody near the airport, which does not typically welcome such large passenger planes.

However, it was a development airport staff were well prepared for.

SA国际影视传媒淭he Iqaluit Airport is designated as an alternate airport for many flight plans on high latitude and polar routes,SA国际影视传媒� said Government of Nunavut spokesperson Weichien Chan. SA国际影视传媒淭he airport is equipped for these incidents and has a plan in place for wide-body diversions.SA国际影视传媒�

The first priority upon the planeSA国际影视传媒檚 arrival was getting the passenger that required medical attention to the hospital.

However, staff quickly dedicated themselves to the task of getting the plane back into the air, and keeping the passengers on board as comfortable as possible in the interim.

SA国际影视传媒淭he goal of the airport is to work with the airline to get the aircraft on its way as soon as possible, to ensure the flight crew do not exceed their duty time,SA国际影视传媒� Chan said. SA国际影视传媒淭he airport has agreements with local providers to provide food, accommodation, and medical assistance in the event of an unplanned diversion, and can accommodate a jet with hundreds of passengers with very short notice.SA国际影视传媒�

Iqaluit resident Brian Tattuinee watched the planeSA国际影视传媒檚 entire stopover, and says SA国际影视传媒減aramedics were on the scene ready to assist when the airplane arrived.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 seen a passenger get off the aircraft with the assistance of paramedics and into the ambulance, I presume to our hospital,SA国际影视传媒� he added, noting that and border services were also on site.

Tattuinee partakes in a hobby known as plane-spotting with several other Iqaluit residents. He has seen similar diversions occur in the past, but admits SA国际影视传媒渋t doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 happen often.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 recall the last big diversion,SA国际影视传媒� he said, noting that an Aer Lingus flight headed for Dublin landed in the Iqaluit in July of 2022, and a United flight headed from Munich to San Francisco stopped in the city in 2020.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 been a few for sure that ISA国际影视传媒檝e missed,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪ome arrive in the middle of the night.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淯sually within about a two-hour window is when big planes turn around and continue,SA国际影视传媒� he added. SA国际影视传媒淕enerally, Iqaluit is well prepared for emergencies such as Aer LingusSA国际影视传媒� medical diversion.SA国际影视传媒�