wrote in message
oups.com...

You didn't quote the whole article. It can be found at:
http://www.turnto10.com/news/9227658/detail.html and towards the bottom
it says:


A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said based on control tower
recordings, Southwest's version of events is "not true."

"Southwest made a decision to return to Baltimore after the pilot
attempted to make a landing ... [and] missed his approach," spokesman
Jim Peters said. "Based on conversations, it was not necessary for the
tower to be open when that plane landed."

Peters said it is possible for flights to land without someone being
present in the control tower.


So was a dispatcher confused, or did the pilot outright lie, or did the
passengers and/or reporter misunderstand what was going on? Or is the
FAA covering its butt?


There does not appear to be any reason for the FAA to cover it's butt in
this case.

Northwest has two flights that normally arrive at Green Bay about 11PM.
Sometimes they run a bit late and don't arrive until after the tower and
TRACON close at 11:30. On those occasions Minneapolis ARTCC clears them for
the approach of their choice and they land on the then uncontrolled field.
Apparently Southwest would rather return to the departure point when they
arrive after the tower has closed. They're free to do that, but it's wrong
to blame their choice on the FAA.