On September 11, 2001, as attacks unfold in the United States, air traffic authorities direct aircraft away from U.S. airspace. According to one account, an order is issued to get every plane out of the sky, and 38 flights land at Gander (in Newfoundland), beginning a multi-day period of arrivals.
Sources describe how Gander, an airport normally handling far fewer flights, becomes a major temporary hub in the wake of the disruptions. One outlet notes that in later years the airport receives only a handful of daily flights, contrasting with the unusually high volume during the initial days after the attacks. The same account presents the episode as a rare example of coordinated humanitarian response amid widespread chaos linked to the terrorist attacks.
Across the provided material, details focus on the scale of the diversion to Newfoundland and the change from normal operations to an exceptional influx, while offering limited additional perspectives on decision-making or downstream outcomes for passengers and crews.
