Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. Apparently, 22 aircraft flying to Denver, Colorado on Monday night had to divert to Colorado Springs due to “severe weather”. I mean, I’ve heard of flights being delayed, but this is just crazy. The Colorado Springs Airport told CNN that the diversions were necessary, and I’m guessing it’s not exactly what the passengers had planned for their evening. Bless their hearts, they must have been thrilled to learn they’d be landing in a different city altogether.
You can’t make this stuff up. Flying near Denver can often be bumpy due to the proximity to the Rocky Mountains, but I’m sure the passengers weren’t expecting this kind of excitement. On Monday night, a cold front was moving through the Denver area, bringing gusty winds near the surface and some shifts in wind direction, according to CNN Meteorologist Mary Gilbert. I’m no expert, but it sounds like the weather was pretty rough.
Somewhere in Atlanta, a producer thought this sounded terrifying, and now we’ve got a story about it. Colorado Springs Fire Department personnel provided medical assistance to five passengers, all from different planes, during the diversions. One patient was even transported to a local hospital, but thankfully, they’re in stable condition. I guess that’s what happens when you’ve got 22 planes diverting to a different airport all at once.
The Colorado Springs Fire Department spokesperson, Ashley Franco, said they basically staged their medical teams at the airport, one on the tarmac and another at the gate, as planes continued to divert. I can only imagine how chaotic that must have been. United Airlines, which operates a large hub in Denver, said 12 of its mainline jets were among the planes that diverted to Colorado Springs, but thankfully, no one onboard was injured.
An air traffic controller in Denver warned pilots on Monday evening that there were about 30 planes within 30 miles that were not going to be landing, which is just mind-boggling. The Federal Aviation Administration told CNN that diversions happen for a variety of reasons, including weather, and the pilot in command ultimately decides where to divert the aircraft. I suppose it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to flying.
The FAA said in a statement that weather-related diversions can occur due to factors including thunderstorms, very strong winds, and low visibility. Well, that makes sense, I guess. It’s just one of those things that happens when you’re flying, and you’ve got to roll with it.
In conclusion, it’s been a wild ride for those 22 aircraft that diverted to Colorado Springs, but thankfully, everyone is safe and sound. And let’s be real, it’s not every day you get to say you were on a plane that had to make an emergency landing due to severe weather. So, the next time you’re flying, just remember, you might end up in a different city than you planned, but at least you’ll have a good story to tell. And who knows, you might even get a free cup of coffee out of it, which is always a silver lining in my book.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
