Thai Airways Lies

[TheEmperorOfTheNorth]

Question: Does anyone think it's strange that TG and the cute bunch of school paper reporters from the BKK Post and Nation come up with this:

(BangkokPost.com) - Thai Airways flight TG 415 heading from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport to Kuala Lumpur made an emergency landing in Hat Yai on Tuesday morning, after captains found that air conditioning system in passenger cabin did not work properly.

All of the 287 passengers were reportedly safe. The aircraft asked for emergency landing at the Hat Yai International Airport at 10 am, which was about an hour after it took off.

According to the airport director Wing Commander Wicha Nernlop, a captain reported that temperature in passenger cabinet was high, which was resulted from a problem of the air conditioning system. It is expected that the plane will resume its flight in the afternoon.

Where in fact what almost 300 or so passengers experienced was this:

---

Airconditioning failure? What a load of <deleted>!!!

First hand observations: we were about an hour into the flight, flying at nomal cruising altitude (35000 ft?) when there was a loud bang and the plane suddenly dropped. All the oxygen masks dropped out from the overhead compartments and an automatic pre-recorded message came over the itercom: "Emergency, emergency. Please put on your oxygen masks". The jet engines were screaming and the plane was rapidly descending. The cabin crew strapped themselves into their seats and also tried to put on their masks. Despite putting on the masks correctly, it was soon evident that there was no oxygen supply, as the plastic bags than connect to the masks and the gas delivery tube were not inflating... so basically, everyone was just hyperventilating. Two children in our section of the plane fainted, and were resuscitated by cabin crew with portable oxygen bottles and masks.

It was the quickest and roughest descent I have ever experienced... I would guess at about 15 minutes from the time of depressure to actual touchdown at Hat Yai.

The air con was not working during descent, but it certainly was not hot until we were actually taxiing from the runway to the terminal.

So SOMEONE is deliberately lying. I for one would like to know who, before I ever fly TG again. (I'm already not buying Thai newspapers so I guess my leverage there is nil. )

Edited November 9, 2007 by samran
comment about moderation deleted

[cdnvic]

So SOMEONE is deliberately lying. I for one would like to know who, before I ever fly TG again. (I'm already not buying Thai newspapers so I guess my leverage there is nil. )

Your boycott has obviously forced them to go to great lengths to recover their readership.

[TheEmperorOfTheNorth]

Right.

Anyway, any opinions on the topic itself?

Or do we wrap this one up with a tribute to Trink and just say "T.I.T." ?

Edited November 9, 2007 by TheEmperorOfTheNorth

[samran]

friendly mod warning:

Please keep this thread on topic - and I dare say as factual as you can keep them.

Comments about moderation issues are against forum rules.

Cheers

Samran.

[blizzard]

how u know the reporters r cute. cute dont normally work the writtn word. they go on camera.

[Acquiesce]

How do you know which report chronicles the true order of events?

[cdnvic]

How do you know which report chronicles the true order of events?

Because I know and trust JaiDee. I also know a thing or two about airplanes and his version of events rings truer from a technical standpoint.

[Acquiesce]

How do you know which report chronicles the true order of events?

Because I know and trust JaiDee. I also know a thing or two about airplanes and his version of events rings truer from a technical standpoint.

And i know and trust Wing Commander Wicha Nernlop, he also know's a thing or two about airplanes.

[Mossfinn]

How do you know which report chronicles the true order of events?

Because I know and trust JaiDee. I also know a thing or two about airplanes and his version of events rings truer from a technical standpoint.

And i know and trust Wing Commander Wicha Nernlop, he also know's a thing or two about airplanes.

One might have a story to tell, the other, a party line that he has to keep within, both are probably trustworthy.

Moss

[TheEmperorOfTheNorth]

How do you know which report chronicles the true order of events?

I trust JaiDee a WHOLE lot more than BKK Post or Nation.

Minor points could be debatable (like the amount of oxygen available; the oxygen mask-bags are not supposed to inflate all the way or anything) but to me, while interesting from a technical point of view, is NOT the main issue.

The main issue seems TG wanting to cover this one up and not have a proper investigation.

What are they afraid of?

[Who, me ?]

How do you know which report chronicles the true order of events?

I trust JaiDee a WHOLE lot more than BKK Post or Nation.

Minor points could be debatable (like the amount of oxygen available; the oxygen mask-bags are not supposed to inflate all the way or anything) but to me, while interesting from a technical point of view, is NOT the main issue.

The main issue seems TG wanting to cover this one up and not have a proper investigation.

What are they afraid of?

I might be either wrong or stupid, or both.....but I can not imagine TG trying to cover up something. There was an emergency landing. This is not a normal event, and loads of questions will be asked. I believe that investigation will be conducted and reports will follow. Afraid or not afraid, that's not up to TG to decide.

If I am wrong, I am glad to read explanation !

Cheers All.....and especially Jaidee and Mrs

[TheEmperorOfTheNorth]

Well, you see, if they can get away with presenting it as an aircon glitch, then it's a precautionary landing, not an emergency landing. If something goes BANG and the whole lot depressurizes followed by an *emergency* landing, then I think an investigation is required.

Personally I don't trust TG to do that, and I certainly don't trust newspapers to follow up and as much as chat with a few passengers.. Nooo that's just not done in Thailand, so everone goes to sleep, until the next time when it may be a whole lot worse.

[cdnvic]

Funny how here they say here that the pressure was so high in the cabin that the passengers were uncomfortable.

SONGKLA, Nov 6 (TNA) – A Thai Airways International aircraft made an emergency

landing at Hat Yai airport Tuesday morning after the pilot found that the cabin air-pressure

system was not functioning properly, according to a senior airline official.

Airbus flight TG 415 of Thailand's national flag carrier carrying 284 passengers took off

from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport at 10am bound for the Malaysian capital

of Kuala Lumpur.

An hour later, the pilot opted for an emergency landing at Hat Yai airport for the

safety and comfort of passengers after experiencing too high air pressure in the cabin.

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=1186

Yet:

Oxygen mask deploy in low pressure situations, not the opposite.

Enough air pressure to make people uncomfortable would have caused a rupture in the seals (if not the airframe), as they are not 100% airtight to begin with. If they were, the pressurization system would be redundant.

Edited November 9, 2007 by cdnvic

[naka]

How do you know which report chronicles the true order of events?

Because I know and trust JaiDee. I also know a thing or two about airplanes and his version of events rings truer from a technical standpoint.

And i know and trust Wing Commander Wicha Nernlop, he also know's a thing or two about airplanes.

Funny.

Naka.

[Briggsy]

Thai Airways did a very similar thing a few months ago. i.e. denial of an incident. In that incident, executive vice president Narongsak Sangapong flatly denied a plane briefly skidded off the runway despite the fact that a video of it was in existence. Here's a link.

Previous similar behaviour by Thai International

Edited November 9, 2007 by Briggsy

[britmaveric]

I'm sure TG has deal in place at the Nation to go soft towards them. Shi*e happens, so my only concern will they learn anything from this???

[legag]

TG is one good airline but over rated.

[asiaworld]

So SOMEONE is deliberately lying. I for one would like to know who, before I ever fly TG again. (I'm already not buying Thai newspapers so I guess my leverage there is nil. )

Hmm sounds like a good excuse to stay in Thailand eh.. coz sure i don't know of aircraft/airlinewith spotless record ! And also better not to ever cross the street, or ever get into any vehicle, coz statistically it is much more fatal ! So stay home .. But , what if your place have balcony & located in Pataya.. shock horror .. U R DOOMED

[IMA_FARANG]

How do you know which report chronicles the true order of events?

I trust JaiDee a WHOLE lot more than BKK Post or Nation.

Minor points could be debatable (like the amount of oxygen available; the oxygen mask-bags are not supposed to inflate all the way or anything) but to me, while interesting from a technical point of view, is NOT the main issue.

The main issue seems TG wanting to cover this one up and not have a proper investigation.

What are they afraid of?

Back about 1980 I was on a Thai flight to BKK going thru (then) Dharhan, Saudi Arabia. When we left the terminal to board the plane, the Thai crew had a flashlight and were looking at the wing. A stream of fuel was shooting out of a hole in the wing that was the size of my index finger. It looked to be the size of a 22 caliber bullet hole. We didn't leave that night, we spent that night Dharhan. The news report in this incident said that the Thai flight had been delayed for safety reasons due to a "minor fuel problem" with the aircraft and that they kept the aircraft on the ground as a safety precaution.

I also had a friend, who happened to work for Saudi Arabian airlines, who was on a BA flight from Heathrow to Jeddah about 1979. He recalls an engine that failed to come up to full power on the takeoff attempt from Heathrow. The take off was aborted and the plane used almost all of the runway to come to a stop. My friend remembers the plane coming to a halt, with 4 or 5 fire crash trucks racing down the runway after the plane. Again, the only mention of the incident was that a BA plane had aborted a takeoff "normally" (whatever a normal aborted takeoff is) due to a minor engine problem.

With those experiences, I wonder what really happened compared to what was written in the press?

[Felt 35]

Deny or cover up. No way that never happen down here.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

So SOMEONE is deliberately lying. I for one would like to know who, before I ever fly TG again. (I'm already not buying Thai newspapers so I guess my leverage there is nil. )

Hmm sounds like a good excuse to stay in Thailand eh.. coz sure i don't know of aircraft/airlinewith spotless record ! And also better not to ever cross the street, or ever get into any vehicle, coz statistically it is much more fatal ! So stay home .. But , what if your place have balcony & located in Pataya.. shock horror .. U R DOOMED

[TonyLeung]

i don't see the big deal. its better to not scare people into not flying. thats not good for the economy.

[sriracha john]

A more than slightly different report of the incident....

Oxygen mask dangle in the cabin of the aircraft. Photo taken from Woo's handphone

Frightful 35 mins for 280 TG 415 passengers

PETALING JAYA [Malaysia] - About 280 Thai Airways' passengers were badly shaken when their Airbus took dives after two of its four jet engines were believed to have malfunctioned in mid-air on Tuesday (Nov 6).

Flight TG 415 lifted off from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport for Kuala Lumpur at about 9.20am, with an almost full load comprising scores of Malaysians, when the engines went dead near Haadyai after an hour.

The loss of 50% engine power sent the aircraft diving up and down like a yo-yo amid screaming passengers. It also triggered the air-conditioning system to shut down.

Lucky for the passengers, the pilot managed to stabilise the aircraft after 35 minutes and sent out a S.O.S for an emergency landing on Haadyai International Airport.

No injuries were reported.

Automobile businessman Datuk Davy Woo Nam Seng, who was travelling business class, told theSun: "It was the most terrifying experience of my life, and I believe it was so for all aboard.

"The plane started vibrating violently, went up and down like a yo-yo. It was most frightening, especially when the oxygen masks dropped from under the cabin compartments. Women and children from the economy class cabins were crying and screaming. They were enough to work on your emotions.

"Things were dropping in the pantry when we were going up and down. There was some tension in the economy class but the chief steward was efficient in calming down those who were screaming.

"After a successful emergency landing, one of the air stewards told me that the incident was caused by engine malfunction."

"We were not told why the aircraft started vibrating violently. We were only told to put on our oxygen masks and tighten our belts. I really, really have the Lord to thank for keeping me with my family and friends."

Woo said there were at least two dozens of fire-engines, ambulances, police cars and airport vehicles lining the tarmac for a huge rescue job. "Praise God that the job was not necessary."

However, Woo said he needed to place on record the shabby treatment that "we received from Thai Airways in Haadyai Airport".

"We had to wait for about nine hours for another aircraft and a new crew from Bangkok to resume our journey home. That is understandable.

"What is not acceptable is that we were all given 100 baht (about RM10) food vouchers. The cheapest meal around was about 120 baht!" said Woo who was returning from a meeting on the Malaysian-made TD2000 vintage cars business.

BangkokPost.com reported on Tuesday, quoting Airways representative Suraphon Israngkula Na Ayudhya as saying TG 415 made an emergency landing on Haadyai after the pilot discovered a problem with the air pressure system.

He said the pilot requested an emergency landing on Haadyai airport at 10am, about an hour after the aircraft took off.

Thai Airways officials here could not be reached for comments today.

- The Sun (Malaysia)

[polecat]

This isn't even a story. TG flight has technical problems and is forced to make emergency landing. Reporter asks a passenger what happened, gets emotional response. Reporter asks airline what happened, gets calm response. Passengers get onto different plane and continue journey. Yawn

[ProThaiExpat]

What good is served by a "horror version" of the problem. TG really didn't "lie" as some posts have suggested, they merely chose their words carefully.

It may well have been that cabin pressure malfunctioned and caused the pilot to reduce altitude so he could land safely after reaching an altitude where cabin pressure is not required. The malfunction could have resulted by an explosion or other "loud bang" or engine failure but why is TG required to report such an incident in "dramatic" terms.

Yes, good newspaper reporting is the way to sell newspapers and to report "horror" stories does that, just as much reporting involves close in photography of six posters to make it look like there are a hundred. Bad news sells newspapers.

Perhaps the newspaper reporting in this case was responsible on many fronts. They certainly didn't sell as many newspapers reporting this way than had they spread it all over the front page with "horror" accounts from passengers, which is "just plain tabloid" reporting.

[Felt 35]

Flying Becoming More Dangerous

A national survey of pilots, by the US space agency, finds that safety problems like near collisions and runway interference occur far more than previously thought. The report implys that the government is withholding the information, fearful it would upset air travelers and hurt airline profits.

http://news.ebru.tv/en/usa/1373.html

[WaiWai]

Patrick Forrey, President of the Air Traffic Controllers Association said:

"Yes, I think it's becoming increasingly unsafe to fly these days."

Somehow, I believe this is very likely.

The important question is why, exactly.

We are flying more and more, so an increase in the number of "incidents" is to be expected (though we'd expect our technology and expertise to be improving, too). However, that report implies more than just greater frequency of flights is involved.

As for Thai Air, their customers deserve a factual explanation. It does not serve the interests of Thai Air to lie outright. If the passengers become annoyed by blatantly false reports, the truth will eventually "out".

Did they offer passengers any compensation ?

Edited November 10, 2007 by WaiWai

[HarryHacker]

What good is served by a "horror version" of the problem. TG really didn't "lie" as some posts have suggested, they merely chose their words carefully.

It may well have been that cabin pressure malfunctioned and caused the pilot to reduce altitude so he could land safely after reaching an altitude where cabin pressure is not required. The malfunction could have resulted by an explosion or other "loud bang" or engine failure but why is TG required to report such an incident in "dramatic" terms.

Yes, good newspaper reporting is the way to sell newspapers and to report "horror" stories does that, just as much reporting involves close in photography of six posters to make it look like there are a hundred. Bad news sells newspapers.

Perhaps the newspaper reporting in this case was responsible on many fronts. They certainly didn't sell as many newspapers reporting this way than had they spread it all over the front page with "horror" accounts from passengers, which is "just plain tabloid" reporting.

You also have to remember that TG is a valued advertiser to both the BP and Nation.

Even on this forum, one is encouraged/censored not to disparage advertisers and sponsors.

[tijnebijn]

Patrick Forrey, President of the Air Traffic Controllers Association said:

"Yes, I think it's becoming increasingly unsafe to fly these days."

Somehow, I believe this is very likely.

The important question is why, exactly.

We are flying more and more, so an increase in the number of "incidents" is to be expected (though we'd expect our technology and expertise to be improving, too). However, that report implies more than just greater frequency of flights is involved.

As for Thai Air, their customers deserve a factual explanation. It does not serve the interests of Thai Air to lie outright. If the passengers become annoyed by blatantly false reports, the truth will eventually "out".

Did they offer passengers any compensation ?

When having an emergency landing , I thought the airline are forced to pay aren't they ?

Anyway the very bad way how they treated the passengers after all this horrendous

is just unbelievable .

I will tell you that if I was in the plane I surely would not want to fly again , at least not shortly after

this event , I would take the bus instead to KL . Would be pissed a lot

[Mosha]

I'm confused. The aircraft was supposed to be a 2 engine A330-300, and the Malaysian paper is talking about 2 of the aircrafts 4 engines shutting down.