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Flight from South Africa to Atlanta diverted for “technical specifications”

reuters.com

1–9 of 9 posts

Re: Flight from South Africa to Atlanta diverted for “technical specifications”

#5

Why is this on HN? Flights divert to refuel all the time.

In December 2019, a deadly breakout of novel coronavirus SARS‑CoV‑2 spread and was declared a global pandemic. Recently, the WHO declared one particular variant first discovered in South Africa as a "variant of concern", and the US imposed a loose "travel ban" on noncitizens from this country. This is one of the last flights out of South Africa before the ban is set to be enforced.

Re: Flight from South Africa to Atlanta diverted for “technical specifications”

#9

Seems like they lacked the fuel? I don't have a globe handy, but a quick glance at Google Maps suggests Boston is slightly closer to Johannesburg than Atlanta is.

12,638 km - Distance from Johannesburg to Boston

13,558 km - Distance from Johannesburg to Atlanta

I had to look it up to believe it