Originally Posted by JJ21

I would also like to point out the fact that if there was some type of emergency on FLT 370 the crew would most likely have turned the plane to that exact 90 degree turn that happened. Here is why:

1) they were half way between Malaysia & Vietnam...Where would you have gone if there was an emergency in the middle of the night, over the ocean, half way between your airline home country or fly to a foreign country?

2) the turn was the shortest route to countless airports that were long enough to land a triple 7...just google Malaysia airport map & Malaysia Airline own website

3) pilots would know there countries landmarks/Airport SID if there was in fact a emergency vs flying to Vietnam with out a radio/vfr charts handy

4) Both pilots were from the northern area of Malaysia...did they learn to fly in that area making them more familiar?

5) Turning back to their takeoff airport would have been a 180 turn and appears to be a longer distance then going to the northern Malaysia airports

6) What was the traffic volume out of their takeoff airport that time of night = possible mid air collision vs going to the less traffic airports up north.

7) Company maintenance facility on Malaysia

8) Passengers custom issues would be less because they had already been in Malaysia vs going to Vietnam pax would need to obtain visas to leave the airport to go to a hotel.

9) Dealing with 230 passengers the next day to move them to their final destination...logistic would be much easier out of Malaysia.