Lufthansa A388 over Atlantic on Aug 24th 2014, caused loss of oceanic separation

A Lufthansa Airbus A380-800, registration D-AIMI performing flight LH-463 (dep Aug 23rd) from Miami,FL (USA) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was enroute at FL380 about 500nm north of Lajes/Azores Islands (Portugal) when the crew requested to deviate to the north due to weather. Oceanic air traffic control was unable to approve the request due to two flights, a United Boeing 767-300, registration N641UA performing flight UA-956 from Newark,NJ (USA) to Geneva (Switzerland), and a British Airways Boeing 777-200, registration G-ZZZA performing flight BA-66 from Philadelphia,PA (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), operating at FL380 on the adjacent track. The crew advised they needed to deviate due to weather, requested and received traffic information. All three flights arrived at their destinations for safe landings.

The Canadian TSB reported that a loss of separation occurred with the other two aircraft during the deviation.

NAV Canada reported that LH-463 requested to deviate 15nm to the north, but Gander Oceanic Control was unable to approve the request due to the conflicting traffic on the adjacent track. LH-463 subsequently advised they had deviated. Shanwick Oceanic Control was advised of the deviation, the three aircraft were near the boundary between Gander and Shanwick control sectors, LH-463 was estimated to pass N47W30 at 02:19Z, UA-956 passed N48W30 at 02:11Z and BA-66 was estimated to pass N48W30 at 02:24Z.

Infrared Satellite SEVIRI Aug 24th 2014 03:00Z (Graphics: Eumetsat):