Why do planes take long diversions during an emergency?

Simon Calder answers your questions on diverted flights, missing connections and rail travel at Christmas

A Qantas flight had an unexpected diversion to the capital of Azerbaijan (Getty)

Q I read about the Qantas plane that was diverted to Baku because of a smoke alarm? Why did it fly 400 miles there rather than just landing in Tbilisi? Surely if it is an emergency you just get the plane down safely as soon as possible?

Adam R

A Around 400 passengers and crew aboard Qantas flight QF1 spent an unexpected 48 hours in the capital of Azerbaijan after a diversion in the early hours of 23 December. The flight from Sydney via Singapore to London Heathrow was flying above central Georgia about four hours from its destination. Then, according to the Australian airline, "the aircraft intermittently alerted the pilots to the potential of smoke in the cargo hold”.