Noodle Attack Delays Air Asia Flight

[george]

Noodle attack delays flight

PHUKET: -- An angry passenger threw a cup of hot noodles at an air hostess after being asked not to use her mobile phone during takeoff from Bangkok yesterday.

The mid-air quarrel resulted in 200 passengers booked on the plane's return flight being kept waiting for nearly four hours at Phuket airport.

An airport official said the quarrel erupted on AirAsia flight FD3015, from Bangkok to Phuket, after a woman passenger tried to make a call on her mobile phone during takeoff.

The flight attendant asked her to turn off the phone but the passenger refused. The attendant insisted she not make the call as it was against flight regulations.

As the flight attendant turned her back to leave, the passenger threw a hot cup of noodles at her, hitting her in the back, according to the airport official.

The passenger later claimed the flight attendant called her names although she could not produce any eyewitnesses.

When the plane landed in Phuket, police were informed and the captain, flight attendant and passenger were told to report to police.

Meanwhile, 200 passengers were waiting to board the plane to return to Bangkok at the scheduled departure time of 5.45pm.

An irate passenger called the Bangkok Post at 8.15pm complaining they had not been informed of the reason for the delay.

``Some of us have overseas connecting flights to make, some have emergencies waiting at home and they told us nothing.

``Instead, they ask for police guards to ensure peace among us,'' said Chanthawipa Apisuk, secretary-general of Empower Foundation, an organisation working to protect the rights of sex workers. ``Our request for an explanation met with smiles from the ground crew and nothing else.''

AirAsia airport staff declined to comment.

The flight finally left at 9.15pm.

--Bangkok Post 2005-08-08

[cdnvic]

Noodle attack delays flight

PHUKET: -- An angry passenger threw a cup of hot noodles at an air hostess after being asked not to use her mobile phone during takeoff from Bangkok yesterday.

This does not warrant having a cup of hot noodles thrown at you.

Our request for an explanation met with smiles from the ground crew and nothing else.''

This does.

cv

[Krub]

Noodle attack delays flight

PHUKET: -- An angry passenger threw a cup of hot noodles at an air hostess after being asked not to use her mobile phone during takeoff from Bangkok yesterday.

The mid-air quarrel resulted in 200 passengers booked on the plane's return flight being kept waiting for nearly four hours at Phuket airport.

An airport official said the quarrel erupted on AirAsia flight FD3015, from Bangkok to Phuket, after a woman passenger tried to make a call on her mobile phone during takeoff.

The flight attendant asked her to turn off the phone but the passenger refused. The attendant insisted she not make the call as it was against flight regulations.

As the flight attendant turned her back to leave, the passenger threw a hot cup of noodles at her, hitting her in the back, according to the airport official.

The passenger later claimed the flight attendant called her names although she could not produce any eyewitnesses.

When the plane landed in Phuket, police were informed and the captain, flight attendant and passenger were told to report to police.

Meanwhile, 200 passengers were waiting to board the plane to return to Bangkok at the scheduled departure time of 5.45pm.

An irate passenger called the Bangkok Post at 8.15pm complaining they had not been informed of the reason for the delay.

``Some of us have overseas connecting flights to make, some have emergencies waiting at home and they told us nothing.

``Instead, they ask for police guards to ensure peace among us,'' said Chanthawipa Apisuk, secretary-general of Empower Foundation, an organisation working to protect the rights of sex workers. ``Our request for an explanation met with smiles from the ground crew and nothing else.''

AirAsia airport staff declined to comment.

The flight finally left at 9.15pm.

--Bangkok Post 2005-08-08

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Air Asia is a cheap low cost airline. It will not garantee or care about onward international connections. It does not even garantees connections within its own network.

If you have an international connection better stick with TG

Happy travels

[sriracha john]

Uhmm... where did the cup of hot noodles come from? It's certainly not normal that people are served food just before the plane takes off??

Did the ding-bat bring them on with her? I can't see boarding a plane with some "ma-ma" or being allowed to do so. If they were provided by the staff, why are they serving food at take-off??

[penelope]

I wasn't aware the thai version of the idiom "to spit the dummy" translated as "to chuck your noodle"

Edited August 8, 2005 by penelope

[udon]

If this incident had happened in the West the pax would have spent the night in the cooler.

What an idiot she is/was!

[Tornado]

"If you have an international connection better stick with TG"

Thai Air wasnt much better the week before. After going to the airport at 12 midday, I couldnt get a flight until 4.45, which didnt leave until 5.30 and then didnt land until 7.30. in Phuket. We were circling over Phuket for nearly an hour due to someone more special than us, locking down the airport.

[Martin]

I gather that amongst the many Thai smiles there is one that translates as "Sorry, but I don't know", another that translates as "Sod Off!", another that translates as "I am smiling at the thought of how nice it would be if you just dropped dead"....and so on.

Can anyone direct me to an illustrated dictionary of Thai smiles, please?

[Totster]

What a waste of Noodles.... shocking

totster

Afterthought - It was those instant ones wasn't it...? not so shocking then..!

[philmac]

How can someone hurling a bowl of noodles at someone else on an aircraft delay a flight for three and a half hours?

Just imagine if she hurled a hearty helping of Massaman Gai at the flight attendant. The flight would still be grounded!

[sriracha john]

How can someone hurling a bowl of noodles at someone else on an aircraft delay a flight for three and a half hours?

Just imagine if she hurled a hearty helping of Massaman Gai at the flight attendant. The flight would still be grounded!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That was my going to be my other question after the origin of said noodles was settled...

The delay was possibly a lenghty one as the crew had to determine how to return the plane to the terminal in order to have a cleaning lady come onboard and do the sweeping up. The flighty stewardess certainly wasn't ready to lower herself to such menial work.

[buadhai]

Uhmm... where did the cup of hot noodles come from? It's certainly not normal that people are served food just before the plane takes off??

Did the ding-bat bring them on with her? I can't see boarding a plane with some "ma-ma" or being allowed to do so. If they were provided by the staff, why are they serving food at take-off??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wondered the same thing. Where the heck did she get a bowl of hot noodles at take-off? And, why was she allowed to keep the noodles (a possible danger to herself and others) but told to turn off the phone? The subsequent three and a half hour delay is also suspicious. I think there's more to the story than has been reported.

[tso310]

Just curious as to why there were 200 people for a plane that can only seat 148.

[loong]

Uhmm... where did the cup of hot noodles come from? It's certainly not normal that people are served food just before the plane takes off??

Did the ding-bat bring them on with her? I can't see boarding a plane with some "ma-ma" or being allowed to do so. If they were provided by the staff, why are they serving food at take-off??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lot of things that don't add up

T.I.T.

If she had the ma-ma type noodles, she would have to have hot water. If she got the hot water in the terminal, then the she would have thrown 'Cold' noodles.

If the stewardess gave her hot water, what was she thinking? Just b4 take-off?

[buadhai]

Perhaps she brought the mama and a thermos of hot water with her. After all, how can one be expected to go nearly two hours without noodles?

[loong]

Perhaps she brought the mama and a thermos of hot water with her. After all, how can one be expected to go nearly two hours without noodles?

Aah sensible logical reasoning, well done , didn't think of that.

[britmaveric]

I was noodling it through - obvious the FA didnt realize that it was a very important call.

[george]

Update:

Noodle spat delays flight in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- A disgruntled passenger, miffed at an AirAsia hostess for telling her to switch off her cellphone, chucked a bowl of hot noodles in the stewardess's face, delaying the no-frills airline's return flight by three hours, media reports said on Monday.

Chirayu Hoontrakul, 35, a car rental agent, was chatting on her cellphone to a potential customer on Sunday afternoon during the takeoff of AirAsia flight FD3015 from Bangkok to Phuket, prompting stewardess Monthicha Kuawong, 30, to tell her to turn the device off for safety reasons, said the Daily News newspaper.

A peeved Chirayu ordered a bowl of instant noodles from Monthicha 15 minutes after takeoff and then threw the hot meal in the hostess' face and pummelled her twice on the neck.

AirAsia's return flight from Phuket to Bangkok was delayed three hours as Chirayu and Monthicha pressed charges against one another in Phuket, 670 kilometres south of Bangkok.

While Monthicha charged Chirayu with causing her bodily harm, Chirayu has pressed a counter-charge against the AirAsia hostess of defamation for speaking rudely to her and causing her to lose her temper in front of a planeload of people.

AirAsia, a no-frills airline that is partly owned by the family of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has yet to issue a statement on the incident.

-- Sapa-dpa 2005-08-08

[britmaveric]

Wow 15minutes after takeoff - pretty efficient service if u ask me.

[sriracha john]

Just curious as to why there were 200 people for a plane that can only seat 148.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As the "leader" in the budget airline industry, AirAsia has adopted a fan-bus-like business strategy and is having the late-comers stand during the flight. That particular plane just happens to have enough aisle room for 52 people to stand.

[stumonster]

AirAsia's return flight from Phuket to Bangkok was delayed three hours as Chirayu and Monthicha pressed charges against one another

are there any laws in thailand about acceptable safe behaviour while on an aeroplane?

lucky Chirayu was not on an aeroplane in the US she prob would have gotten shot by one of the security agents.

[Scott]

I would guess that the boys in brown were the ones that kept the flight crew from leaving earlier. I am sure until everything was settled, they kept the pilot etc. from leaving.

I've seen this kind of thing happen before (not with an airline), but where possible witnesses are kept from leaving--even though they had all the information that could be supplied, plus phone numbers, addresses etc.

[Greer]

Still doesn't add up - 15 minutes into the flight I think they woud still be climbing - be that as it may, causing an afray in an aircraft is a very serious offence anywhere else in the world, and I would be surprised if it is not in Thailand.

The other thing is that this woman disregarded the lawful instructions of a member of the cabin crew - especially when related to safety issues, this again is a very serious offence.

It is completely irrelevant, under the circumstances, whether the crew member called the person an unpleasant or insulting name (I would be thinking along the lines of "Hey! Stupid..." but that's just me...) but I am fairly sure that the crew member would not have used anything other than a simple request in the first instance.

If a passenger is stupid enough to use a cellphone after just being told in the standard safety announcement that cellphones must be switched off for the entire flight, then I can only assume that she was the sort of cretin that would argue about it and create a problem - exactly as what happened...

This dumb bitch needs a few nights in the slammer to work out her priorities.

My vote of support goes to the cabin crew.

I DO have a related point to make though - airline companies are infamous for NOT telling anyone what is going on when there is a delay - they really need to take a lesson or two in public relations - TELL PEOPLE WHAT IS GOING ON!

This is not restricted to Thai or other Asian operators, but happens across the board - I have had to wait in airport lounges in Amsterdam, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sydney, and London with no idea of what is causing the delay - it is incredibly frustrating, and on at least one occassion caused my checked baggage to miss the connection when I had to sprint from the "A" gates at Frankfurt to the "B" gates on the other side of the airport.

I had originally left three hours between flights at Frankfurt, but the delay leaving Amsterdam left me with 15 minutes to make my flight to Riyadh!

Airlines MUST tell people what is happening, and in the Phuket noodle-incident all they had to do was inform passengers that the air crew had been delayed, and that a further announcement would be made within 30 minutes.

That way people can go for a wander around or read a book or grab a meal or something (maybe some hot noodles...) - at least they feel as if they are being kept informed - and that is the key to keeping most people at least semi-happy.

[stats]

While Monthicha charged Chirayu with causing her bodily harm, Chirayu has pressed a counter-charge against the AirAsia hostess of defamation for speaking rudely to her and causing her to lose her temper in front of a planeload of people.

Im not Surprise this incident happened....To be honest the AA Customer service is not that friendly...

Cheap Flights you Get Cheap Service..

[sriracha john]

Chirayu has pressed a counter-charge against the AirAsia hostess of defamation for speaking rudely to her and causing her to lose her temper in front of a planeload of people.

hahaha...

I love the logic at play here...

It's "YOUR" fault if "I" lose "MY" temper.....

[The_Moog]

A couple of years ago, a US passenger travelling Business Class defecated on the drinks trolley. *

He was required to pay damages not just to the airline, but to all the other passengers who witnessed the bowel evacuation.

Air Asia assengers who missed connections as a result of this silly moo might like to file civil charges.

* Biz Class Drinks trolleys are significantly lower than Econ Class ones.

[Totster]

A couple of years ago, a US passenger travelling Business Class defecated on the drinks trolley. *

He was required to pay damages not just to the airline, but to all the other passengers who witnessed the bowel evacuation.

Air Asia assengers who missed connections as a result of this silly moo might like to file civil charges.

* Biz Class Drinks trolleys are significantly lower than Econ Class ones.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sounds like he got a crap service to me....

totster

[qwertyuiop]

A couple of years ago, a US passenger travelling Business Class defecated on the drinks trolley. *

He was required to pay damages not just to the airline, but to all the other passengers who witnessed the bowel evacuation.

Air Asia assengers who missed connections as a result of this silly moo might like to file civil charges.

* Biz Class Drinks trolleys are significantly lower than Econ Class ones.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Stripped down and covered himself with the faeces as well if I recall. Claimed later that it was the medication he was taking that made him do it and had nothing to do with the fact that he appeared drunk boarding the plane and was drinking champagne on board as if it were his last meal.

Another case of an a**hole thinking that he was better than others with the rules not applying to them. He was some investment banker type I believe.

I would have dropped this Thai pasenger off somewhere over the Andaman Sea- no loss

[Krub]

"If you have an international connection better stick with TG"

Thai Air wasnt much better the week before. After going to the airport at 12 midday, I couldnt get a flight until 4.45, which didnt leave until 5.30 and then didnt land until 7.30. in Phuket. We were circling over Phuket for nearly an hour due to someone more special than us, locking down the airport.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was speaking of responsiblility for connecting or rather responsibility and care taken in case of mis-connection.

If you miss connect due to TG's fault they will re-book, re-reoute and or provide accomodation/meal if needed.

This is not the case with the Low cost airlines

[Plus+]

I just realised that half of my life has gone to dogs. How can I start suing people for causing me to lose my temper? I can't wait anymore.