Should rules be broken??
They were lined up, wheels almost down, when the tower called it. “ALLNIPPON 203, GO AROUND.”
The time was 4:59 and 42 seconds.
ANA flight NH203 from Tokyo Haneda had arrived a bit too early for Frankfurt. Not early enough to celebrate, but early enough to break the airport’s night curfew, which ends precisely at 5:00 am.
Despite a safe approach and smooth descent, air traffic control had no choice. The rule is strict. No landings before 5:00. So the Dreamliner was forced back into the sky.
Observers say the call was by the book, but it caused more harm than good. The go-around added 16 minutes to the flight, burned 1.9 tonnes of fuel, and exposed residents to more noise than a landing ever would have.
Pilot Ori Gross, who was monitoring tower traffic, raised the issue online. He says the system needs more flexibility. Others agree, pointing out the stress on the crew and the pointless waste of fuel.
The jet had flown nearly 14 hours across continents, only to be told to wait 18 more seconds.
