Phuket Air Sets House In Order

[george]

Phuket Air sets house in order

Carrier names United Pros its auditor and flight safety consultant

PHUKET: -- Beleaguered Phuket Air is giving itself two years to put its house in order and turn around its image tarnished by a series of incidents that literally clipped the wings of this fledgling carrier.

In the meantime, the airline has recruited United Pros _ a subsidiary of United Airlines _ as its auditor and flight safety consultant.

Its executive vice president Capt Chawanit Chiamcharoenvut admits that the airline's reputation has taken a beating especially since the incident in Dubai last year when a Phuket Air flight bound for London started spitting flames during takeoff, and the one in Inchon, South Korea, when one of its aircraft was impounded by local authorities.

Questions stemming from lack of maintenance have cast doubts about the air worthiness of aircraft in Phuket Air fleet and passenger safety, with the result that it now only plies Ranong on the domestic route, while Rangoon, Burma's capital, constitutes its only destination overseas.

The airline began operations in 2001 and in a matter of three years it grew rapidly on both domestic and international routes before tragedy hit last year.

``The truth of the matter is that we haven't been able to comply with international aviation standards because our documentation system in areas such as training, flight maintenance, financial and operational matters have not been up to ISO standard,'' said Capt Chawanit, who was a pilot with Thai Airways International for 30 years before joining Phuket Air six months ago.

``Drawing from my personal experience, I believe that Phuket Air's problems, including the ban slapped by Britain and the Netherlands, stem from substandard documentation. Each airline has its own auditor to keep track of financial matters, but we never had one,'' he said.

The pilot-turned-airline executive believes that getting United Pros into the equation will help the airline's recovery, although the process would be tedious and long.

Phuket Air, owned by Ranong tycoon Vikrom Aisiri, has to expeditiously work on upgrading the standard of aircraft maintenance. Capt Chawanit also saw the need to downsize personnel and improve the standard of cabin crew by sending them to training courses run by the International Air Transport Association.

Asked what Phuket Air had learned from the setbacks, Capt Chawanit said the flame-spitting incident proved Phuket Air's shortcoming in providing passengers correct information, telling them what was happening and what was being done to deal with the problem. The pilot was also inexperienced because a seasoned hand would have delayed the flight, drained excess fuel and avoided the incident.

Another major blow to the airline's reputation came during the 55-day seizure of its 9R602 aircraft at Inchon Airport because the carrier failed to honour its payment due to TV Club, its general sales agent (GSA) in South Korea.

Capt Chawanit said this episode would have never taken place if Phuket Air had carefully read its obligations in the contract it signed with TV Club. The airline entrusted its GSA with matters that it should have handled on its own.

Asked what the future held in store for Phuket Air, he said there was no reason to be despondent.

``I am optimistic about the future of the airline because I believe all problems have solutions. We are stepping in the right direction by getting our own auditor to plug all the loopholes. This is a good enough reason that gives us reason to look to the future with hope.''

--Bangkok Post 2005-10-27

[ovenman]

Asked what Phuket Air had learned from the setbacks, Capt Chawanit said the flame-spitting incident proved Phuket Air's shortcoming in providing passengers correct information, telling them what was happening and what was being done to deal with the problem. The pilot was also inexperienced because a seasoned hand would have delayed the flight, drained excess fuel and avoided the incident.

That's an interesting revisionist take on the incident. At the time, I recall that Phuket Air was making noises about possibly suing the passengers that were telling such unfounded lies about flames and fire.

[The_Moog]

They'll probably change the logo, paint the planes, and have a PR relaunch.

Then on the first flight, a wing will fall off, as none of the fundamental engerieering problems will have been addressed.

Then, all the senior Thai executives will run around pointing out that its not their fault.

[Greer]

I'm only guessing, but I suspect the biggest problem in having an aircraft repaired and making sure maintenance is done properly is having the information to hand on what is to be done, what is broken and needs fixing. If the basics are not in place how the hel_l can maintenance staff do their job? The fact that they have identified some of the basic problems and realise they do not comply with ISO standards, and that their staff need proper IATA training is a BIG step. If they really follow this up properly, and now that they have publicly admitted their shortcomings I see no reason not to, then I wish them well. The airline industry is not an easy one in which to survive, but the standards are there for a reason, and operators must comply. Everyone always tries to look at the "Big Picture" but it's the detail that will ground you.

[Flysiam]

I'm only guessing, but I suspect the biggest problem in having an aircraft repaired and making sure maintenance is done properly is having the information to hand on what is to be done, what is broken and needs fixing. If the basics are not in place how the hel_l can maintenance staff do their job? The fact that they have identified some of the basic problems and realise they do not comply with ISO standards, and that their staff need proper IATA training is a BIG step. If they really follow this up properly, and now that they have publicly admitted their shortcomings I see no reason not to, then I wish them well. The airline industry is not an easy one in which to survive, but the standards are there for a reason, and operators must comply. Everyone always tries to look at the "Big Picture" but it's the detail that will ground you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is merely the tip of the iceberg. The Thai authority is ineffective and unwilling to perform its obligationsof oversight - hence the airlines in Thailand will do what they please and will cut every corner willy nilly to save a baht. The losers? The traveling public. Thai airlines have no real standards except the going rate for paying off the officials, I fear. Take a look around and travel with caution - Orient Thai/One-Two-Go is next and should be used with trepidation and concern. IMHO