Airbus A380 lands at Thailand’s Don Mueang Airport for the first time ever

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Never got to the first class lounge, they wouldn't let me in. ????

No tie? ????

[Chelseafan]

17 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Did they have to disembark using a mobile stairs? 

 

I'd say a slow process getting everyone off the plane. 

 

Emirates....... Love business class lounge, down the back of the plane, upstairs, nice sofa opposite to relax. 

 

Never got to the first class lounge, they wouldn't let me in. ????

 

I turn left and it's good (shower for example) but service can be inconsistant which is a shame

 

[KhunBENQ]

12 hours ago, whereyougo said:

Length depends on weighed. It can easy takeoff empty to go next door

Good point.

And it was shuttled to BKK. The flight continued to Dubai with 5:11 hour delay from BKK (if I can believe flightstats).

Even if there were passengers on board continuing to Dubai the plane will surely not have been fully fueled.

You wouldn't believe how short such a giant can take off.

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, jaiyen said:

Is the runway long enough for it to take off ?????

Requires less than a 747-8...3km fully loaded. 

Runways at DMG are 3.5 and 3.7km. 

 

[Sparktrader]

2 hours ago, Phnom Penh Trader said:

You’ve never been to Phuket or Bali have you?

Phuket 3 times. 

[NanLaew]

11 hours ago, internationalism said:

it's not about rain, because air planes can land and take off in heavy rain, and night time, but most probably about bad drainage from the runway.

Yes it is about rain. When the downpour is intense and prolonged enough, the runway drainage will be temporarily overwhelmed and there will be standing water that reduces the safety margins. It is not the same as flood water.

 

11 hours ago, internationalism said:

How is that BKK is shut down for hours, but DMK only some 20km away, is fully opened? 

That's the nature of tropical downpours. It can be hammering down within a few square kilometers and still be dry in the next village or suburb. There's maybe around 30 km between BKK and DMK.

 

DMK was flooded in 2011. That was proper flooding and not the same as runway drainage being temporarily overwhelmed.

 

Aircraft have been routinely diverting between both airports for years, especially during rainy season. The only reason this has made the news is because of the aircraft type and it being a first for DMK.

 

[NanLaew]

9 hours ago, Hummin said:

I'm aware of the physical limits of airplanes. My point is if they knew it was not possible to make a take off from Don Muang, they would not have landed there, and made another airport. 

If both of Bangkok's airports are temporarily not accessible, aircraft then get diverted to U-Tapao.

 

That's another infrequent occurrence. Now that was built for B-52's so I imagine a A-380 would look like a Tonka toy taxiing to and fro there. I am sure that if and when an A-380 gets diverted there, the Swampy/Thai bashers will have a(nother) field day (if it hasn't happened already).

[SAFETY FIRST]

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

No tie? ????

No tie....Probably, oh well, I'll stay business class if that's the case.

 

Strange, some dress codes, gets out of hand at times.

 

I did 3 cruises on Fairstar, 'the fun ship'.

Had to wear shoes in the restaurant, I can do that and most other dress code requirements at different venues.

 

 What I would like to protest is restaurants here in Pattaya. 

Bruno's on Thepraya, was located just before Frasers on Thepraya, it's closed now...... I wonder why ????

Entry requirements were LONG PANTS, you are kidding me. I refuse to wear long pants around Pattaya. 

My gf liked that restaurant and I had so many arguments with her because I wouldn't wear long pants.

 

The US you'd see signs, 'no shirt no service ', I agree, sensible dress codes, I'm all for it. 

 

[Photoguy21]

15 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Hey, don't laugh, us rig pigs are always judged. 

 

I'm one who when traveling (I fly once a month) I dress comfortably. Always sport shoes and polo shirt, loose long pants. Most times I looked like a hobo but who cares I'm flying business class. 

 

Not one to dress fancy, probably comes with being an Aussie........ at home, around the house, thongs, shorts, singlet. I don't understand, my neighbor, he's a Pom, omg, everyday he wears long pants (never seen him in shorts) and a collared shirt around the house, it messes with my mind, who does that ????

 

I'm in heaven on the rig, mornings I wake up, jump into my freshly washed coveralls, then off to the morning meeting. Every few days I shave, glad I never worked in an office. 

 

Your attitude I totally agree with. Probably as we both work in the same industry and showing off is not one of the things we do.

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed. 

[sandyf]

12 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I remember seeing some photos from the floods a few years back, photos of planes submerged at Don Muang Airport. 

It was late 2011 and DM shut for months. Many roads around Bangkok were closed and the distribution chain broke down leading to empty shelves, mainly tinned and bottled goods.

Strong possibility 2022 will end the same way.

[scorecard]

14 hours ago, internationalism said:

it's not about rain, because air planes can land and take off in heavy rain, and night time, but most probably about bad drainage from the runway.

How is that BKK is shut down for hours, but DMK only some 20km away, is fully opened? 

And how is it that swampy draingage can't cope? 

[steven100]

On 9/9/2022 at 12:09 PM, webfact said:

Guangzhou in China

were they from Wuhan .....   the aircraft should have attempted the Suvarnabhumi landing. 

[KhunBENQ]

31 minutes ago, scorecard said:

And how is it that swampy draingage can't cope? 

Just coming back 120km from Udon. Hardly any rain in Udon. Driving 100 km over dry roads.

Entering our district. Flooded roads, drizzle and rain since two days.

 

Berlin: 800 sqkm.

Can have flooded cellars in the south. Nothing in the north.

 

Got the point?

Rain is not a flat carpet over Bangkok. Cells can be very small and very intense.

And obviously the plane could land in Suvarnabhumi the same night.

Just seen that @NanLaew

has explained it in more detail 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Entry requirements were LONG PANTS, you are kidding me. I refuse to wear long pants around Pattaya

i can tell where you originate from.. ????

Long trousers from my side of the pond.. but totally agree long "attire" of any kind over here is crazy.

smart casual should be the norm in smarter places.

[ThailandRyan]

Drove to Bang Phli south of BKK this morning.  The west side of the highway, frontage road was totally flooded out, glad I was on the Tollway.  The Wat we drove to we could not get to because of the flooding and had to park at the BIG C and walk over the bridge.  The small river was overfull. The opposite side of the highway and that area was dry as a bone, had not rained over on that side but did on the other side....

[BarraMarra]

15 hours ago, internationalism said:

it's not about rain, because air planes can land and take off in heavy rain, and night time, but most probably about bad drainage from the runway.

How is that BKK is shut down for hours, but DMK only some 20km away, is fully opened? 

I remember the 1 to Go plane landing on Phuket in a Monsoon in 2007. The Pilot was advised to Divert to Samui but ignored the warning skidded off the runway hit an embankment and burst into flames killing 90 out of the 130 passengers.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, BarraMarra said:

I remember the 1 to Go plane landing on Phuket in a Monsoon in 2007. The Pilot was advised to Divert to Samui but ignored the warning skidded off the runway hit an embankment and burst into flames killing 90 out of the 130 passengers.

I took a 1 2 go flight from Utapao to Bkk years back. Passengers on board, doors closed, aircraft starts taxing towards main runway, suddenly a/c stops.

 

Passengers on the side of the a/c where passenger door is located (pasengers incl. me) can see:

- pick up truck with stairs pulls up to the a/c door.

- cabin crew open the door.

- Thai lady scrambes in.

- Then her 'helpers' slowly push a giant plastic bag of clothing through the a/c door.

- Cabin crew ask the passsengers in the first 2 or 3 rows to move to the back of the aircraft.

- Cabin crew eventually get the giant bag through the galley area and it eventually sits on thefloor and on the a/c seats to the left and the right. aisle way totally blocked.

- A/c door closed, flight takes off.

- Arrival in Bkk in, the area outside of the airbridges, cabin crew partly open the door.

- Pick up truck marked with 1 2 go logo now parked just under a/c door.

- Cabin crew and a/port staff and 1 2 go driver and helper eventually get the big bag to the a/c door then eventually get it through the door. Giant bag falls onto 1 2 go pick up truck.

- 1 2 go pick up moves away a few meters, then normal mobile stairs put into place.

- Lady who owns the bag insists on going down the stairs first and then runs to the 1 2 go pick up, gets in and it moves away very quickly.

 

This company in it's day broke every safety rule in the book. 

[Hummin]

Any plans for take off soon?

[steven100]

12 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Any plans for take off soon?

put everyone from Wuhan onboard ... then take off at full throttle 

[NanLaew]

16 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Any plans for take off soon?

The A380 in question? It's gone already. Probably half a world away by now.

[KhunBENQ]

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

It's gone already.

Departed DMK at 1:08 for BKK.

Departing BKK for Dubai some hours later around 4 AM.