Planes diverted into storm to test air traffic trainee

A BRITISH airliner was among four deliberately diverted into a potentially dangerous thunderstorm area to test the skills of a trainee US air traffic controller, it was claimed yesterday.

The Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 and three others were rerouted at the direction of a supervisor at a control centre in Jacksonville, Florida, the controllers’ union said.

Dave Cook of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said the diversion increased the risk to the passengers and crews.