Hey Mike!

Good question! We were operating a flight into Malta. On paper, it looked like a standard Mediterranean run, but the weather had other plans. A massive, un-forecasted thunderstorm system developed right over the island just as we were beginning our arrival.

Because Malta is an island, your options are limited, you can't just divert to a nearby airport like you can in London or Paris. If you can’t land there, your diversion options are quite a bit further than average in short-haul, and very limited.

We entered into the hold while we waited for a gap in the storm. As a pilot, this is where the decision making process can get intense. You are constantly calculating your diversion fuel, the absolute minimum amount of fuel you need to leave the area and reach your alternate airport safely, with a set quantity of fuel left in reserves.

When we realised the storm over Malta wasn't going to subside, and our fuel was hitting that "commit" point, the decision to divert to Catania was the only safe call.
Landing in Catania after a failed approach elsewhere is mentally draining. You’re tired, your adrenaline is spiking, and you’re landing at an airport you didn't originally plan to visit that day. Seeing the runway lights at Catania was one of the best sights of my career, even if we did arrive with the "low fuel" lights practically staring us in the face. I think we landed with something like 2 minutes of fuel in addition to our reserves, those fuel calculations are so important.

Sometimes, it's not all sunshine and calm winds, but these are the days we spend so much time training for, and for that, I'm very thankful.

Chloe

26 April, 2026 13:21