A Qantas passenger flight bound for Adelaide has made an unusual and rarely seen diversion to RAAF Base Edinburgh, after extreme wind conditions forced the crew to abandon their approach into Adelaide Airport.
The flight, Qantas QF691 from Melbourne to Adelaide, was reported to have initiated a go-around during its final approach, with passengers describing a turbulent descent and noticeable sideways movement consistent with strong crosswind conditions. The aircraft subsequently diverted to the military airfield at Edinburgh, located north of Adelaide, where it landed safely and remained on the ground while arrangements were made to continue the journey.
While diversions to alternate civilian airports are common during adverse weather, a commercial jet landing at a RAAF base is a much rarer occurrence. Adelaide Airport representatives have reportedly described it as something that has not happened “in recent history” for a commercial service in the region.
The diversion highlights a reality well understood by professional crews: a missed approach is not a failure, but a standard safety decision when conditions fall outside safe operating limits. Aviation commentators noted that aircraft must also maintain strict fuel reserves, and a precautionary diversion can avoid triggering a fuel emergency declaration if further holding or a second approach becomes impractical.
Qantas later continued the flight to Adelaide once conditions and operational requirements allowed, with reporting indicating the aircraft ultimately arrived safely later that evening.
Was Qantas “billed” for using RAAF Base Edinburgh?
At this stage, there are no confirmed public reports from official Defence, Qantas, or government sources stating that Qantas was billed (or not billed) for the diversion and ground handling at RAAF Base Edinburgh.
In practice, diversions to military airfields can involve cost recovery, fees, or inter-agency arrangements depending on what support is required (such as security coordination, emergency response readiness, refuelling, and traffic management). However, unless an official statement is released, the specific financial arrangements in this case remain unconfirmed.
For Warbirdz readers, the real takeaway is the operational significance: RAAF Edinburgh remains a viable emergency and contingency option for aviation in South Australia when conditions at Adelaide Airport become unsafe.