That was interesting. Hearing the use of "pan pan" makes me wonder, "is
there a hassle factor involved with diverting internationally (for the
scheduleds)"? I can almost hear the crew, coming up with a solution to
their low fuel then, seeing it required a US landing, deciding to add
the "pan pan" to their low fuel to ensure desired handling.

The alternative would have been something like, "KLM: we have a low
fuel emergency, request diversion for immediate landing", "ATC: we can
take you to Ottawa", "KLM: ahhh, that looks like it would require some
deviation around this cell, how about Syracuse?","ATC: we can give you
direct to Hamilton", "KLM: too short, It think we need Syracuse" etc.

I thought it was a very appropriate use of "pan" given the other
emergency activity and the nature of their own.

Kev wrote:
Changing topic, I was just listening to the Toronto ATC archive. A
couple of minutes afer the crash, and finding out the Toronto airport
was closed, a KLM flight from Amsterdam used the P-word... it went
close to this:

KLM: Pan, Pan Pan. KLM 691. We have a low fuel emergency for a
diversion to Syracuse. Declaring a low fuel emergency. KLM 691.

ATC: KLM 691 roger, uh, check that you're declaring a fuel emergency.
Are you able to go to Hamilton Airport? What's the minumum length of
runway I can have, uh, maybe in case we have closer ones.

KLM: We need a left turn to Syracuse, we got it lined up, and we think
we have just enough fuel to go to Syracuse, and land there with 30
minutes.

ATC: KLM 691, roger, direct to Syracuse, maintain 5000.

Kev