Ministry Launches Probe Into Phuket Air

[george]

Ministry launches probe into Phuket Air after 24-hour delay

BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Transport today promised to launch a probe into a budget airline, Phuket Air, following a 24-hour delay in a flight from Bangkok to London which left over 400 passengers stranded this morning.

The seriousness with which the ministry is treating the matter was highlighted by the response this morning of Deputy Transport Minister Phumtham Vejjayachai, who immediately convened a meeting of Phuket Air executives and officials from the Department of Aviation.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Phumtham said that he had ordered the department to closely inspect all of the airline’s fleet this afternoon.

Over the past month, the airline’s planes have malfunctioned on three occasions.

This morning’s incident was blamed on a hydraulics failure.

Mr. Phumtham said that he had also ordered a meeting with representatives from all the nation’s airlines, including budget airlines, for tomorrow when the airlines will be told to rigorously follow safety procedures.

According to Phuket Air's deputy chief executive, Capt. Chawanit Jiemcharoenwut, four of the airline’s craft which had been sent for maintenance in Indonesia have not yet been returned for service on schedule, while the airline has another two aircraft which need repair work.

As a result, the airline has only two aircraft in working order.

--TNA 2005-04-11

[Pattaya_Fox]

Ministry launches probe into Phuket Air after 24-hour delay 

BANGKOK: --  The Ministry of Transport today promised to launch a probe into a budget airline, Phuket Air, following a 24-hour delay in a flight from Bangkok to London which left over 400 passengers stranded this morning.

The seriousness with which the ministry is treating the matter was highlighted by the response this morning of Deputy Transport Minister Phumtham Vejjayachai, who immediately convened a meeting of Phuket Air executives and officials from the Department of Aviation.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Phumtham said that he had ordered the department to closely inspect all of the airline’s fleet this afternoon.

Over the past month, the airline’s planes have malfunctioned on three occasions. 

This morning’s incident was blamed on a hydraulics failure.

Mr. Phumtham said that he had also ordered a meeting with representatives from all the nation’s airlines, including budget airlines, for tomorrow when the airlines will be told to rigorously follow safety procedures.

According to Phuket Air's deputy chief executive, Capt. Chawanit Jiemcharoenwut, four of the airline’s craft which had been sent for maintenance in Indonesia have not yet been returned for service on schedule, while the airline has another two aircraft which need repair work. 

As a result, the airline has only two aircraft in working order.

--TNA 2005-04-11

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If an airline decides to purchase old planes then it should have sufficient back up of operational aircraft to cover when maintenance work is carried out, or have the funding to lease replacements until it`s fleet is up to strength.

From what I have read about this airline there will be either a major accident or it will go bust.

Their biggest mistake was to offer low cost flights when it was not necessary during the high tourist season and lose much needed revenue.

Now that the low season is approaching this airline will be stretched even more.

At the end of the day safety is paramount when flying and the tacky impression that Phuket Air is portraying will not enhance the reputation of Thailand when it needs all the good publicity it can get.

[george]

Personally I believe that the few passengers after the tsunami incident got them in serious financial trouble. This could be the very end for Phuket Air.

[tso310]

I heard that most of their B747s were parked at Jakarta and that their B757 has been returned to the lessor. They have also been getting into trouble with the Bangladeshi's due to over booking on the Chittagong - Dubai route. Personally I interested with what will happen to the Buriram route. Haven't used it since they took it over from Air Andaman but it always had good loads.

Doug

[sammo]

I agree with previous comments on this. Phuket Air should in my view have simply stuck to being a national and/or regional low cost carrier. In that way it could have established itself as a major player in the region, and as long as it had the right routes, could easily have absorbed the 'Tsunami factor'.

Instead, the company saw the money that could be made from long haul flights and therefore decided to compete with the 'big boys', the national air carriers. These large companies have toughed it out through the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and have been rigorously streamlined as they fight for survival. Some went bankrupt, others merged to become a formidable force in the long haul sector.

Phuket Air then comes along with its old, borrowed jumbos (and subsequent high maintenance schedule and costs) and seriously thinks it can take them on.

When your company is 'on show' on an international level, it comes under a lot closer scrutiny. Regardless of who is to blame for the series of infortunate events, it is all bad publicity and as such Phuket Air has become a laughing stock, to the extent that the government is now involved.

I think it will go under sooner rather than later. I am all for cheaper flights, but not when i look out of the cabin window and fuel running off the wings!

[george]

Here are some recent discussion threads, all direct Phuket Air related:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=28941

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31633

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31599

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31516

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31321

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31534

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=31422

[system7]

i was on that flight from bangkok.. when we landed in sharjah they refuelled the plane while we were still on it.. i was sitting right opposite the wing when i noticed a man in flip flops on a ladder syphoning fuel out into a bucket, i asked what was going on, and the thai steward told me they were pumping water round it to clean the system out!!!lol after being on the plane for nearly 3 hours due to a tech problem,we were allowed off into the airport.. thats when we caught a proper glimpse of the aircraft from ###### in its full glory... to say that it had looked like it had bounced off a mountin was un understatement.. after 4 hours in the airport we were told it was fixed (for the third time) and safe to board.. we got on again, seat belts fastened, transfixed on the leaking wing, when we saw it comeing out again,people started to panic, wasent till engines on full thrust that it started to p*ss out like a ######, we all thought our time was up.. it stopped just in time, stewards were phoneing captin and banging on the door to cockpit, we panicked, the thai stewards panicked... but we got off.. we rufused to fly on that plane again..

which was the start of our nightmare 80 hour delay in sharjah..

thankyou phuket air... for nothing... british airways for me next time..

[Roger_JG]

A friend of mine was waiting for this plane to reach london and go back to Thailand on Sunday...

When we arrived in Gatwick airport the phuket air staff told us that the flight was grounded in Doha for some "unknown reason". The flight was cancelled and reschedulled for tuesday. We could wait or fly on Qatar, Phuket air would reimburse the ticket.

I knew from a friend working for a travel agent that Phuket AIR was going to go bankrupt by the end of April, so I didn't take the risk to buy another ticket.

Tuesday morning I call Phuket AIR office to be sure that the flight was still on. The guy I talk to new nothing at all about anything, not even that there was a flight on the previous sunday... He told me to go to the airport anyway. When we arrive the flight was delay from 3 PM to 5 then to 7 then to 9:30 then cancelled... My friend spent the night at the Hilton... A group of Thai was having fun drinking beer and eating pizza (my frien was amongst them) the tourists were sobbingand crying...

The wednesday they finally boarded the plane and left arround 11AM ... to come back to Gatwick one hour later.. It was the same plane that was leaking kerosen... The passenger were left in limbo until 3PM when they were told that they would be transferred to Heathrow and fly back to Bangkok on Thai Airways...

They finally made it, it only took 4 days...

You get what you pay for...

Roger

[TAdam]

This is just one more reason why I only fly airlines I've actually heard of. Stories like these are just warning signs of disasters to come.

[cookiesunshinex]

We flew from Gatwick to Bangkok on the 22nd of December.

We got to the airport and the flight was delayed 17 hours. They were offering to put everyone up in hotels close to the airport plus meals and drinks.

We made them pay our gatwick express round trip tickets back into London so we could sleep in our own beds, taxis between our flat and Victoria, and the cost of our dinner.

The return flight from Bangkok was also delayed several hours.

[pjuk]

My wife and daughter are two of those 400 that were supposed to fly this morning. I'm in the uk. After reading these threads I'm scared!!!!

They are phoning me in a few hours, do I say get your card out and buy another ticket or do we just hang in ?

[system7]

My wife and daughter are two of those 400 that were supposed to fly this morning. I'm in the uk. After reading these threads I'm scared!!!!

They are phoning me in a few hours, do I say get your card out and buy another ticket or do we just hang in ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

put it this way, end of the day its up to u..

how i made it home god only knows.. proper scary stuff, disaster waiting to happen if u ask me..

[meelousee]

Ministry launches probe into Phuket Air after 24-hour delay 

BANGKOK: --  The Ministry of Transport today promised to launch a probe into a budget airline, Phuket Air, following a 24-hour delay in a flight from Bangkok to London which left over 400 passengers stranded this morning...........

According to Phuket Air's deputy chief executive, Capt. Chawanit Jiemcharoenwut, four of the airline’s craft which had been sent for maintenance in Indonesia have not yet been returned for service on schedule, while the airline has another two aircraft which need repair work. 

As a result, the airline has only two aircraft in working order.

--TNA 2005-04-11

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been working with wide body aircraft since 1998 before that aircraft inspection and maintenance for the US government, so this information is by experience. This is what is going on folks the 'real deal' of discount airlines.

What they are doing is an old manufacturing scheme to save more money, in other industries it is called JIT or just in time inventory, for the airline it is called MIT and JIT.

Example if a preventative maintenance schedule is called for on fuel caps and drains every 100 flight hours and the aircraft is due to fly on that 100th hour and the needed spare parts are on the way to the maintenance depot but not yet in hand the aircraft is flown with out that maintenance as it is only on the PM schedule. It is put off until the next FAA, JAA or CAA mandated maintenance schedule, the problem is that if the aircraft off station, that too is put off until the aircraft arrives at it's home base putting the aircraft Just In Time for maintenance or at best many hours late.

Should the spare parts be late, the aircraft is flown until the parts are in hand and then it is rescheduled for that maintenance. Now should this maintenance come due and parts are available in someplace other than home base and the maintenance would cost more than 10% more at it's current location the aircraft is boarded as normal and flown to the home base without the scheduled or non scheduled maintenance.

One problem with Phuket Air is the aircraft in Indonesia needing maintenance have no vital spare parts packages to do this, they are only ordered when the aircraft is on the ground ready to be pulled into a hangar and start the work. The next problem is that PA is flying aircraft that are being ignored on the preventative maintenance schedules due to cost. This is what happened to the aircraft that was grounded in Qatar, the fuel seals and overflow check valves were so old they even had the wrong part number as it had been updated 5 years prior. No part with the number being ordered exists and the new ones cost 30% more so apparently they decided to wait until the next FAA, JAA or CAA mandated maintenance schedule. They simply disregarded your life for the profits the airline. They are in the business to make money not set safety records, or meet their own flight schedule. The statement here that said ‘and impending disaster or bankrupt and closure’ is exactly right!

[Cabana]

Yesterday the 5pm flight to Buri Ram from Bangkok was first rescheduled to 7pm and then cancelled reasons given that the plane 'wasnt working'. All passengers bus-sed to Buri Ram. Whether this was a result of the crisis meetings or lack of spare parts/ maintenance is unclear.

Ministry launches probe into Phuket Air after 24-hour delay 

BANGKOK: --  The Ministry of Transport today promised to launch a probe into a budget airline, Phuket Air, following a 24-hour delay in a flight from Bangkok to London which left over 400 passengers stranded this morning...........

According to Phuket Air's deputy chief executive, Capt. Chawanit Jiemcharoenwut, four of the airline’s craft which had been sent for maintenance in Indonesia have not yet been returned for service on schedule, while the airline has another two aircraft which need repair work. 

As a result, the airline has only two aircraft in working order.

--TNA 2005-04-11

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been working with wide body aircraft since 1998 before that aircraft inspection and maintenance for the US government, so this information is by experience. This is what is going on folks the 'real deal' of discount airlines.

What they are doing is an old manufacturing scheme to save more money, in other industries it is called JIT or just in time inventory, for the airline it is called MIT and JIT.

Example if a preventative maintenance schedule is called for on fuel caps and drains every 100 flight hours and the aircraft is due to fly on that 100th hour and the needed spare parts are on the way to the maintenance depot but not yet in hand the aircraft is flown with out that maintenance as it is only on the PM schedule. It is put off until the next FAA, JAA or CAA mandated maintenance schedule, the problem is that if the aircraft off station, that too is put off until the aircraft arrives at it's home base putting the aircraft Just In Time for maintenance or at best many hours late.

Should the spare parts be late, the aircraft is flown until the parts are in hand and then it is rescheduled for that maintenance. Now should this maintenance come due and parts are available in someplace other than home base and the maintenance would cost more than 10% more at it's current location the aircraft is boarded as normal and flown to the home base without the scheduled or non scheduled maintenance.

One problem with Phuket Air is the aircraft in Indonesia needing maintenance have no vital spare parts packages to do this, they are only ordered when the aircraft is on the ground ready to be pulled into a hangar and start the work. The next problem is that PA is flying aircraft that are being ignored on the preventative maintenance schedules due to cost. This is what happened to the aircraft that was grounded in Qatar, the fuel seals and overflow check valves were so old they even had the wrong part number as it had been updated 5 years prior. No part with the number being ordered exists and the new ones cost 30% more so apparently they decided to wait until the next FAA, JAA or CAA mandated maintenance schedule. They simply disregarded your life for the profits the airline. They are in the business to make money not set safety records, or meet their own flight schedule. The statement here that said ‘and impending disaster or bankrupt and closure’ is exactly right!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[ovenman]

One would think that these would all be moot points before too long as it's hard to imagine how Phuket Air will be able to remain in business much longer...

[HarryHacker]

Hey Roger_JG...

Please read (+Spell & Grammer Check) what you write before posting, please!

(Saves me having to read several times!!!!)...

LOL,

Toss.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its easy to read if you are drunk!

But seriously, I'm sure TV.com has helped bring this outfit to the attention of the media and authorities. Well done to TV

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hey Roger_JG...

Please read (+Spell & Grammer Check) what you write before posting, please!

(Saves me having to read several times!!!!)...

LOL,

Toss.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its easy to read if you are drunk!

But seriously, I'm sure TV.com has helped bring this outfit to the attention of the media and authorities. Well done to TV

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Death is so permanent

[slim]

Personally I believe that the few passengers after the tsunami incident got them in serious financial trouble. This could be the very end for Phuket Air.

I sincerley hope so. I implore all members not to fly Phuket Air.

This company is a shambles and should stick to short haul.

I was delayed 24 hours out of Bangkok to London recently and missed my connecting flight in the UK - a flight Phuket Air promised to sort.

When I made my way back down to London 3 weeks later for the Sunday flight back, I crossed to Gatwick, checked the boards and my flight wasn't listed.

I enquired at Swiss Air who were handling enquiries and was told the flight wasn't due to depart until WEDNESDAY.

I demanded to see a representative from Phuket Air who eventually appeared. After threatening legal action, they put me in the Gatwick Hilton for a night with meals (£149.00) and then on a Qatar Airways plane next day to Bangkok via Doha (cost unknown) - this on top of one night with meals at the Hilton Bangkok...............there's no way they can survive.

[Joey Boy]

Personally I believe that the few passengers after the tsunami incident got them in serious financial trouble. This could be the very end for Phuket Air.

I sincerley hope so. I implore all members not to fly Phuket Air.

This company is a shambles and should stick to short haul.

I was delayed 24 hours out of Bangkok to London recently and missed my connecting flight in the UK - a flight Phuket Air promised to sort.

When I made my way back down to London 3 weeks later for the Sunday flight back, I crossed to Gatwick, checked the boards and my flight wasn't listed.

I enquired at Swiss Air who were handling enquiries and was told the flight wasn't due to depart until WEDNESDAY.

I demanded to see a representative from Phuket Air who eventually appeared. After threatening legal action, they put me in the Gatwick Hilton for a night with meals (£149.00) and then on a Qatar Airways plane next day to Bangkok via Doha (cost unknown) - this on top of one night with meals at the Hilton Bangkok...............there's no way they can survive.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hope ya gave the mini bar yer best shot aswell

[george]

Update:

Ministry puts Phuket Air under microscope

BANGKOK (TNA, Gazette): The Ministry of Transport has promised to launch a probe into the budget airline, Phuket Air, following a 24-hour delay in a flight from Bangkok to London which left more than 400 passengers stranded on April 11.

The seriousness with which the ministry is treating the matter was highlighted by the response of Deputy Transport Minister Phumtham Vejjayachai, who immediately convened a meeting of Phuket Air executives and officials from the Department of Aviation.

Speaking after the meeting, K. Phumtham said that he had ordered the department to closely inspect all of the airline’s fleet the same day.

Over the past four weeks, the airline’s planes have malfunctioned – or been thought to have malfunctioned – on five occasions.

On April 2, a Phuket Air Boeing 747-200 from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport to Gatwick Airport, England made a scheduled refueling stop at Sharjah Airpo rt in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

On takeoff, passengers noticed fuel spilling from one of the wings and suspected a leak.

There were, according to passengers’ statements, scenes of “panic” on board the aircraft, and the airliner returned twice to the apron while engineers sought to identify the cause of the leak.

The airline later stated that the leak was the automatic release – via a “dump mast” – of excess fuel.

Both this aircraft – which eventually flew from Sharjah Airport to Gatwick, albeit with few passengers on board – and another Phuket Air 747, which had brought the remaining stranded passengers to the UK, were inspected by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) engineers shortly after their arrivals in the UK.

The CAA inspections, which were requested by the UK Department of Transport, revealed shocking safety failures.

The aircraft that sparked the scare was found to have inoperative evacuation safety lights. Although this ag ed 747-200 was deemed airworthy, the CAA would not allow it fly with passengers. It returned to Thailand empty.

The second veteran Boeing airliner, which had flown those stranded in the UAE to the UK, departed Gatwick en-route for Bangkok via Sharjah Airport on April 6,.

About one hour into the flight, the pilot shut down one of the engines and dumped 50 tons of jet fuel at 35,000 feet before heading back to UK airspace to land back at Gatwick.

CAA engineers found that a faulty gearbox seal – blamed on mechanics in Sharjah Airport – had caused the engine failure, but, perhaps more alarmingly, they established that the airliner’s collision avoidance system was broken.

CAA officials grounded the aircraft.

The April 11 incident was blamed on a hydraulics failure, as was an aborted March 18 flight from Bangkok to Phuket when the pilot was forced to return to Don Muang Airport and make an emergency landing some 15 minutes after takeoff.

K . Phumtham said that he had ordered a meeting with representatives from all the nation’s airlines, including budget airlines, for today, at which the airlines will be told to follow safety procedures rigorously.

In addition to these problems, Phuket Air’s deputy chief executive, Capt Chawanit Chiamcharoenvut, said that four aircraft that had been sent for maintenance in Indonesia have not yet been returned, and the airline has another two aircraft that need repair work.

As a result, the airline currently states that it has only two aircraft in working order out of a total of 12 listed on its website (www.phuketairlines.com).

According to a statement issued April 11 and posted on the Phuket Air website “Phuket Air is now actively working to transfer passengers to other airlines that serve the same [international] destinations.

“As it is currently high season, these other airlines are heavily booked, which means we have not been able to transfer eve ry passenger to an alternate flight.

“Therefore, we have arranged for food and accommodations for the remaining passengers who are waiting for the next available flights. We will also provide refunds to those who have canceled their Phuket Air flights.”

A Gazette staffer, due to fly back from Haad Yai to Phuket on Phuket Air today, was told at the check-in desk at the southern airport that his flight had been canceled.

No alternative flight was offered, and when he requested a refund, he was told that he “...should ask his tour agent”. He is now traveling back to Phuket by bus.

The Gazette attempted to call the Phuket Air helplines – 02-5356708 and 02-5356696 – but was unable to get through.

--Phuket Gazette/TNA 2005-04-12

[kat]

Update:

Ministry puts Phuket Air under microscope

BANGKOK (TNA, Gazette): The Ministry of Transport has promised to launch a probe into the budget airline, Phuket Air, following a 24-hour delay in a flight from Bangkok to London which left more than 400 passengers stranded on April 11.

The seriousness with which the ministry is treating the matter was highlighted by the response of Deputy Transport Minister Phumtham Vejjayachai, who immediately convened a meeting of Phuket Air executives and officials from the Department of Aviation.

Speaking after the meeting, K. Phumtham said that he had ordered the department to closely inspect all of the airline’s fleet the same day.

Over the past four weeks, the airline’s planes have malfunctioned – or been thought to have malfunctioned – on five occasions.

On April 2, a Phuket Air Boeing 747-200 from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport to Gatwick Airport, England made a scheduled refueling stop at Sharjah Airpo rt in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

On takeoff, passengers noticed fuel spilling from one of the wings and suspected a leak.

There were, according to passengers’ statements, scenes of “panic” on board the aircraft, and the airliner returned twice to the apron while engineers sought to identify the cause of the leak.

The airline later stated that the leak was the automatic release – via a “dump mast” – of excess fuel.

Both this aircraft – which eventually flew from Sharjah Airport to Gatwick, albeit with few passengers on board – and another Phuket Air 747, which had brought the remaining stranded passengers to the UK, were inspected by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) engineers shortly after their arrivals in the UK.

The CAA inspections, which were requested by the UK Department of Transport, revealed shocking safety failures.

The aircraft that sparked the scare was found to have inoperative evacuation safety lights. Although this ag ed 747-200 was deemed airworthy, the CAA would not allow it fly with passengers. It returned to Thailand empty.

The second veteran Boeing airliner, which had flown those stranded in the UAE to the UK, departed Gatwick en-route for Bangkok via Sharjah Airport on April 6,.

About one hour into the flight, the pilot shut down one of the engines and dumped 50 tons of jet fuel at 35,000 feet before heading back to UK airspace to land back at Gatwick.

CAA engineers found that a faulty gearbox seal – blamed on mechanics in Sharjah Airport – had caused the engine failure, but, perhaps more alarmingly, they established that the airliner’s collision avoidance system was broken.

CAA officials grounded the aircraft.

The April 11 incident was blamed on a hydraulics failure, as was an aborted March 18 flight from Bangkok to Phuket when the pilot was forced to return to Don Muang Airport and make an emergency landing some 15 minutes after takeoff.

K . Phumtham said that he had ordered a meeting with representatives from all the nation’s airlines, including budget airlines, for today, at which the airlines will be told to follow safety procedures rigorously.

In addition to these problems, Phuket Air’s deputy chief executive, Capt Chawanit Chiamcharoenvut, said that four aircraft that had been sent for maintenance in Indonesia have not yet been returned, and the airline has another two aircraft that need repair work.

As a result, the airline currently states that it has only two aircraft in working order out of a total of 12 listed on its website (www.phuketairlines.com).

According to a statement issued April 11 and posted on the Phuket Air website “Phuket Air is now actively working to transfer passengers to other airlines that serve the same [international] destinations.

“As it is currently high season, these other airlines are heavily booked, which means we have not been able to transfer eve ry passenger to an alternate flight.

“Therefore, we have arranged for food and accommodations for the remaining passengers who are waiting for the next available flights. We will also provide refunds to those who have canceled their Phuket Air flights.”

A Gazette staffer, due to fly back from Haad Yai to Phuket on Phuket Air today, was told at the check-in desk at the southern airport that his flight had been canceled.

No alternative flight was offered, and when he requested a refund, he was told that he “...should ask his tour agent”. He is now traveling back to Phuket by bus.

The Gazette attempted to call the Phuket Air helplines – 02-5356708 and 02-5356696 – but was unable to get through.

--Phuket Gazette/TNA 2005-04-12

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd like to say that this is utterly beyond belief, but nothing here shocks me anymore - especially when it involves transport.

However, I am surprised by this excerpt:

"CAA engineers found that a faulty gearbox seal – blamed on mechanics in Sharjah Airport – had caused the engine failure, but, perhaps more alarmingly, they established that the airliner’s collision avoidance system was broken.

CAA officials grounded the aircraft."

If the CAA checked both aircraft upon arrival at Gatwick, why was the 2nd aircraft allowed to depart with these critical failures

[Ijustwannateach]

to think I had actually considered flying with them recently! Whew! Yet another reason to be grateful for these kinds of discussion boards.

"Steven"

[alansax]

I'm sitting here in London....I was on the same phuket air flight on one of my trips to bangkok last january. I arrived at Stansted airport and was told that the flight would be leaving the following day due to a technical fault. We were put in a hotel without ground staff assistance whatsoever. The only person available said that we were not going to leave on other airlines (such as Thai, EVA etc...) because they had no agrrement and they were all full anyway. The following day we were told we would get compensation in BKK but when we arrived no one was there. On the flight I met Rae, a sweet flight attendant whom I later spoke to on my way to khao san from Dom Nuang. She told me the flight had been delayed because the incoming flight from Dom Nuang the previous day had two of the four motors explode and had to return to BKK after three hours flight. She also told tme we had just landed with no brake and we were in an emergency landing, and that she was "really scared" of flying. Phuket air has bought three stinky old Boeing 747/300 from KLM (Dutch) who got rid of them because they were considered unsafe and were old. They are dangerous and should be grounded because they have so many flight hours on them. adding on to that, Phuket Airlines maintenance is crap. and they have no experience in long haul operation, and have no rwespect for the lives of passengers but especially crew who fly on their planes every day. Isn't spending 3 billion baht extra to buy new aircraft worth the lives and safety of hundreds of human beings? I hope the ministry is tough on them.

KrungkhepAlan

[Digger]

I'm sitting here in London....I was on the same phuket air flight on one of my trips to bangkok last january. I arrived at Stansted airport and was told that the flight would be leaving the following day due to a technical fault. We were put in a hotel without ground staff assistance whatsoever. The only person available said that we were not going to leave on other airlines (such as Thai, EVA etc...) because they had no agrrement and they were all full anyway. The following day we were told we would get compensation in BKK but when we arrived no one was there. On the flight I met Rae, a sweet flight attendant whom I later spoke to on my way to khao san from Dom Nuang. She told me the flight had been delayed because the incoming flight from Dom Nuang the previous day had two of the four motors explode and had to return to BKK after three hours flight. She also told tme we had just landed with no brake and we were in an emergency landing, and that she was "really scared" of flying. Phuket air has bought three stinky old Boeing 747/300 from KLM (Dutch) who got rid of them because they were considered unsafe and were old. They are dangerous and should be grounded because they have so many flight hours on them. adding on to that, Phuket Airlines maintenance is crap. and they have no experience in long haul operation, and have no rwespect for the lives of passengers but especially crew who fly on  their planes every day. Isn't spending 3 billion baht extra to buy new aircraft worth the lives and safety of hundreds of human beings? I hope the ministry is tough on them.

KrungkhepAlan 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Stansted I thought they flew from Gatwick !!!!!

[mcfester]

Update:

Ministry puts Phuket Air under microscope

BANGKOK (TNA, Gazette): The Ministry of Transport has promised to launch a probe into the budget airline, Phuket Air, following a 24-hour delay in a flight from Bangkok to London which left more than 400 passengers stranded on April 11.

The seriousness with which the ministry is treating the matter was highlighted by the response of Deputy Transport Minister Phumtham Vejjayachai, who immediately convened a meeting of Phuket Air executives and officials from the Department of Aviation.

Speaking after the meeting, K. Phumtham said that he had ordered the department to closely inspect all of the airline’s fleet the same day.

K . Phumtham said that he had ordered a meeting with representatives from all the nation’s airlines, including budget airlines, for today, at which the airlines will be told to follow safety procedures rigorously.

--Phuket Gazette/TNA 2005-04-12

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder how many airlines will get grounded so Thaksins Thai Air Asia can take over

[Khun Larry]

Ministry launches probe into Phuket Air after 24-hour delay 

Mr. Phumtham said that he had also ordered a meeting with representatives from all the nation’s airlines, including budget airlines, for tomorrow when the airlines will be told to rigorously follow safety procedures.

--TNA 2005-04-11

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Brilliant!

Call a meeting to declare the obvious. Good thing Thailand has Ministers.

[alansax]

My wife and daughter are two of those 400 that were supposed to fly this morning. I'm in the uk. After reading these threads I'm scared!!!!

They are phoning me in a few hours, do I say get your card out and buy another ticket or do we just hang in ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote

I was on a 9R flight and will no longer fly after my exp. hang in but don't fly with them again for your own safety. (phuket air won't be around longer much longer anyway.)

[alansax]

I'm sitting here in London....I was on the same phuket air flight on one of my trips to bangkok last january. I arrived at Stansted airport and was told that the flight would be leaving the following day due to a technical fault. We were put in a hotel without ground staff assistance whatsoever. The only person available said that we were not going to leave on other airlines (such as Thai, EVA etc...) because they had no agrrement and they were all full anyway. The following day we were told we would get compensation in BKK but when we arrived no one was there. On the flight I met Rae, a sweet flight attendant whom I later spoke to on my way to khao san from Dom Nuang. She told me the flight had been delayed because the incoming flight from Dom Nuang the previous day had two of the four motors explode and had to return to BKK after three hours flight. She also told tme we had just landed with no brake and we were in an emergency landing, and that she was "really scared" of flying. Phuket air has bought three stinky old Boeing 747/300 from KLM (Dutch) who got rid of them because they were considered unsafe and were old. They are dangerous and should be grounded because they have so many flight hours on them. adding on to that, Phuket Airlines maintenance is crap. and they have no experience in long haul operation, and have no rwespect for the lives of passengers but especially crew who fly on  their planes every day. Isn't spending 3 billion baht extra to buy new aircraft worth the lives and safety of hundreds of human beings? I hope the ministry is tough on them.

KrungkhepAlan 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yes digger, they fly from gatwick... sorry

[pjuk]

Posted from the UK >

Just received a call from my wife and daughter, 2 of the 400 delayed on Phuket Air flight 9R 618.

The passengers have had NO input from the airline as to what is happening. They are massing in the hotel lobby that they are being put up in, it sounded ANGRY, maybe a bit of people power is kicking in !

My wifes mobile battery is starting to fail, if anyone gets any further info please post it here.

Thanks

[Roger_JG]

Hey Roger_JG...

Please read (+Spell & Grammer Check) what you write before posting, please!

(Saves me having to read several times!!!!)...

LOL,

Toss.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know what problem you had reading my previous post... I only found a few typos. First time I experience such kind of irrelevant (to say the least) comment on a forum...

Anyway it may have not come to your mind that we are not all native English speaker here. Ok it's a farang-for-farang forum but one should be flexible and imaginative when it comes to language, especially if one is interested in Thai culture and language...

Best

Roger