Passengers trapped on ‘sauna’ jet on London to Bangkok flight (video)

[webfact]

The Boeing 777, operated by Thai Airways (THAI), was set to depart on Thursday, July 25 but never left the ground due to a malfunctioning air conditioning system.

 

Video footage captured the chaotic scene aboard flight TG 917 as hundreds of travellers fanned themselves to stay cool. Warawalan Maksaen, a 26 year old University of Exeter student, described the unbearable conditions.

 

“People were stuck on the plane and couldn’t leave. We were hot and couldn’t breathe. At least in a sauna, you can leave when you want. This was like a form of torture.”

 

Scheduled for a 9.25pm take-off, the flight was delayed when the captain announced the air conditioning issue. Passengers remained trapped inside until 11pm without food or water.

“Someone had a panic attack. A flight attendant finally brought water and opened the door for fresh air.”

With Heathrow’s curfew preventing technicians from fixing the problem, the flight was rescheduled for the next day. Passengers faced a grim choice: sleep at the airport or take a bus to find a hotel. Warawalan and others waited until 2am for transportation, only to discover the airline-provided hotel had just eight rooms.

 

Groups and families were prioritised, leaving solo travellers like Warawalan to fend for themselves.

 

Finally securing accommodation at 3am, Warawalan returned to the airport the next afternoon, only to face further delays. Despite assurances that the air conditioning was fixed, the plane’s engine wouldn’t start. Passengers reboarded at 6.49pm after another agonising wait, reported Daily Mail UK.

 

“I was so disappointed by THAI. Their service was appalling. I’ve received a compensation offer but never want to fly with them again. Foreign passengers were extremely disappointed, and their first impression of Thailand was ruined.”

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of ViralPress

 

Source: Daily Mail 2024-08-06

 

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[Ben Zioner]

Best Airline advertisement I have ever seen. Free sauna in economy. 

 

RIP Thai International. I used to enjoy flying with you, 40 years ago.

 

Your flight attendants were the perfect lead up to Patpong.

[Celsius]

Sauna hub

[SAFETY FIRST]

59 minutes ago, webfact said:

9.25pm take-off, the flight was delayed when the captain announced the air conditioning issue. Passengers remained trapped inside until 11pm without food or water.

Omg, 1hr, 35 minutes TRAPPED. 

 

Lucky it wasn't middle of the day, sun blaring. 

 

More moaners, whiners. 

 

ManUp people. 

 

Edited August 6 by SAFETY FIRST

[daveAustin]

1 hour ago, edwinchester said:

The Daily Mail is well known as a rag full of hyperbole.

Well it happened and there’s footage to prove it. I was also recently on that plane from Bkk and it was similar to this until it reached altitude. Surprised to hear it hasn’t been sorted. Very poor from Thai. 

[MalcolmB]

50 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

 

 

Except the Daily Mail never said that. Their opening line was 'The flight from hell... and it didn't even take off!'

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

[brianthainess]

32 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Yep Webfact make sure of that.

[Rimmer]

An incorrect line in the op has been removed also the replies to it, thank you for reporting it 🙂

@Moonlover

 

 

[Moonlover]

1 minute ago, CallumWK said:

Then maybe take it up with AN and ask why they quoted the Daily Mail wrong

I already did. See Rimmer's post above.

[ronster]

Spent 2 and a half hours on plane with no air or water in Washington in middle of summer when it was around 28c outside. Was awful yet the crew refused to give out drinks incase we needed to take off.

Plane ended up there after flight to UK was diverted because of medical emergency. The guy having the emergency got up and walked off and then we couldn't take off as a torrential rain storm arrived with lightning everywhere. Went from daylight to almost dark outside in 5 minutes.

[Ralf001]

July 25th temp in london peaked at 18 degrees... Sauna would have been welcomed !

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

“I was so disappointed by THAI. Their service was appalling. I’ve received a compensation offer but never want to fly with them again. Foreign passengers were extremely disappointed, and their first impression of Thailand was ruined.”

Ooooop's got it wrong again.

[Peterphuket]

Strange, the same happens with an airplane from Ryanair this week, and also in Doha with an airplane from Qutar airlines.

[nakhonandy]

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

July 25th temp in london peaked at 18 degrees... Sauna would have been welcomed !

True, it was a cold July in London. 

However, having been effectively held captive in an aeroplane previously it can be very oppressive, especially with a duff air-conditioning.

Then to have to sort out your own accommodation for the night is appalling service, Thai has really gone down hill.

[WDSmart]

There seems to be more and more problems with airplanes these days. I wonder if that's because there are more flights now than there used to be, or if the planes are not being maintained (and maybe even manufactured) well.

[PETERTHEEATER]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

......the plane’s engine wouldn’t start.

I wouldn't want to fly 8000 odd miles on a single engine plane. 😀

[Robin]

Maybe not THAI's fault the aircon fails, but surely it is up to their ground staff to look after their passengers.

If the flight is cancelled then they should offer passengers free overnight accommodation.  Plenty of hotels near LHR, only a case of aa phone call and being prepared to pay the bill.  Most probably THAI's problem; nobody with the authority to pay the hotel bills.

Note the complete silence from THAI.

One more reason not to fly with them.

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, Moonlover said:

I already did. See Rimmer's post above.

We should get paid for reporting their mistakes, it's their job to check is it not. 

[josephbloggs]

4 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Omg, 1hr, 35 minutes TRAPPED. 

 

And WITHOUT FOOD!!!!!

[NedR69]

A lot of them cheap charlies,  flying on a crappy carrier with the best fares...you get what you pay for.

 

And, WTF is a curfew for the aircraft maintenance personnel?   Not in the budget to pay OT, or more than one shift?

Edited August 6 by NedR69

[Silencer]

1.5 hours wait...that is not very long. I've had waits nearly as long for congested airports (lots of planes landing, few taking off), de-icing and de-icing again, and mechanical problems. US rule is up to three hours before plane must return to the gate. The airline should have passed out water as take-off was not happening anytime soon.

[HauptmannUK]

3 minutes ago, Silencer said:

1.5 hours wait...that is not very long. I've had waits nearly as long for congested airports (lots of planes landing, few taking off), de-icing and de-icing again, and mechanical problems. US rule is up to three hours before plane must return to the gate. The airline should have passed out water as take-off was not happening anytime soon.

Its a long time if the aircraft a/c is not working. I was once sitting on a plane at apron with no a/c for about an hour and it quickly becomes very uncomfortable.

Also strange that Thai have no contingency plans - normally full-service airlines have a list of hotels ready to contact, meal vouchers etc.

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, WDSmart said:

There seems to be more and more problems with airplanes these days. I wonder if that's because there are more flights now than there used to be, or if the planes are not being maintained (and maybe even manufactured) well.

Not just aeroplanes.

Boeing has still got two astronauts stuck on the ISS two months after they arrived - on an 8 day mission.

 

From USA today

2 months after Starliner launched, astronauts still haven’t returned: See timeline

[Tigger01]

My friend was on this flight and said it was awful! She said it was 3 hours being unloaded and then the following day, they spent another 3 hours on the tarmac before take off!! Not a great start to the holiday!!

[RayWright]

Agree Thai Airways could have handled the Customer Experience better. 

 

But what gets me, LHR is allegedly an International Airport, so surely there should be some maintenance staff as well as all the other services working round the clock, Check-In staff, Air Traffic Control, Baggage Handlers, Catering, Fire and other Emergency Services etc to support the after 21:00 flights, or what ever time they clock off.

What would happen if the AirCon failed whilst Taxiing, close the airport!

Typical Woke / Broke UK.

[lordgrinz]

Note to self: Don't fly on a 3rd World airline, the experience will probably resemble the same way the country is run.

[tomazbodner]

2 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

Note to self: Don't fly on a 3rd World airline, the experience will probably resemble the same way the country is run.

Note to self - Don't fly Boeing.

[proton]

Smooth as sandpaper 

[josephbloggs]

I flew back from the UK recently on Emirates. Nearly two hours on the tarmac at Manchester after the doors were closed. At least we had aircon, but apart from that it was a dreadful start to a long journey. 

[The Old Bull]

Pissed off with Thai airways since they took over Thai Smile and cancelled the senior discount.