P C Air Ordered To Suspend Flight After It Stranded Thai Tourists In South Korea

[webfact]

AVIATION

PC air ordered to suspend flight

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- PC Air, the airline that launched last year amid publicity for it transgender flight attendants, has been ordered to halt flights by the Civil Aviation Department after it stranded Thai tourists for two days in South Korea when it could not pay its fuel bill.

After being stranded at Seoul's Incheon International Airport since Tuesday, the Thais returned to Bangkok yesterday after PC Air paid its outstanding fuel and airport fees.

Civil aviation chief Voradej Harnprasert said his department will need a week to investigate what happened and warned that PC Air could be stripped of its licence if such an incident happened again.

The PC Air flight returned to Bangkok at 4am yesterday morning with 228 passengers. It left behind around 170 more passengers, who were assisted with accommodations and meals by the Thai Embassy, tour agencies and Thai Airways International. They were to return to Bangkok at around 10 last night.

PC Air president Peter Chan apologised for the inconvenience and assured that the airline had paid the fuel charges. He said he would go to South Korea to further investigate the problem.

Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sithipan said he would discuss the matter with Voradej today.(Oct19)

PC Air has a licence to operate charter flights to Seoul and Hong Kong from October 1 to 30.

Chatchart said he wanted to determine whether the airline had violated aviation regulations and if its licence needed to be revoked or not.

When the licence expires on October 31, authorities would assess again whether it should be renewed, he added.

The Bureau of Prevention and Assistance in Tourist Fraud set up registration points at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports to gather the affected tourists' complaints. The Tourism Department's Bureau of Tourism Business and Guide Registration would inspect the tour agencies' licences.

In addition to stranding tourists in South Korea, PC Air's flight delay also left 32 Thais grounded in Bangkok. They had bought South Korean tour packages and were due to leave on Tuesday night.

The tourists and representatives of nine affected tour agencies yesterday urged the Crime Suppression Police to help negotiate for compensation with PC Air.

A passenger who asked not to be named said she bought a five-day tour package worth Bt21,900 and was scheduled to depart from Don Mueang on Tuesday night but couldn't because of PC Air's fuel-bill problem. She said she later learned that the airline has only one plane. She said the tour agencies helped arrange accommodations for the travellers from upcountry.

Police interviewed the tourists and tour agencies and have coordinated with PC Air to send representatives to talk with those affected. The tour agencies have also issued refunds to some customers who no longer wished to take the trip.

-- The Nation 2012-10-19

[BookMan]

She said she later learned that the airline has only one plane

Only one plane?

[noitom]

You could almost predict poor management and inept operations when they ostentatiously paraded around transgender hires. Hiring them was great, but parading them around like circus animals for the media and showboating fancy free flights for journalists to "be served by the four transgender hires" was way off base and indicative of incompetent management and cloudy focus.

[asiawatcher]

What a gay day... but why all the hooha with police investigations et al? I mean they have one month only for a licence to "try out" and someone makes a snip at them for having one plane? Why would they need more? And charter flights... so what? Seems to me they are trying a valid market as South Korea is a busy route and what better way, but if their finances were suspect then it is a standard short term miscalculation cost of business. Good on them for having a go and if they are a budget airline to fill a gap at least they are trying. In this lousy financial environment they have the balls to give it a go and this is a hiccup they perhaps overlooked. Give them the chance to proceed without chopping their legs out from under them, they have less than 2 weeks to prove it viable.

[scorecard]

She said she later learned that the airline has only one plane

Only one plane?

Well let them try, but I hope that this one aircraft is 'offline' as required by the manufacturers specifications and the applicable laws, for maintenance activities, serious detailed engineering and safety checks, etc.

[Notstupid30]

ow wasn't just a few days ago Thailand will achieve its target 20 million tourist arrival by year end, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports but this airline can't even afford petrol for it's plane i think someone talking bs here ..

[Gweiloman]

ow wasn't just a few days ago Thailand will achieve its target 20 million tourist arrival by year end, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports but this airline can't even afford petrol for it's plane i think someone talking bs here ..

???

Apt avatar..... not.

[trainman34014]

PC presumably stands for 'Pretty Crappy' !

[FarangKenStine]

The Flight Attendant asked "Coffee, Tea or Me?"

I responded, "I'll have coffee. I'm allergic to nuts"

[blackthorn2005]

You could almost predict poor management and inept operations when they ostentatiously paraded around transgender hires. Hiring them was great, but parading them around like circus animals for the media and showboating fancy free flights for journalists to "be served by the four transgender hires" was way off base and indicative of incompetent management and cloudy focus.

What do you think they do at the cabaret shows and Bangla Road, I would call that parading around like circus animals. but they love it!

[Payboy]

PC Air

If you arse hurts on arrival, it's not because of those low-cost seats.

[geriatrickid]

Remember the Australian based LCC that had a bigger problem last February?

Thousands of people were stranded on Friday from Hawaii to Indonesia as budget carrier Air Australia ran out of money and went into voluntary administration.The budget carrier immediately grounded its fleet of five jets, stranding roughly 4,000 people in Hawaii, Phuket, and Bali, according to voluntary administrator Mark Korda.Overnight, the company was unable to refuel its planes in Phuket, Korda told Australia's Fairfax Radio. The directors appointed us at 1:30 this morning and the boys have been working throughout the night to deal with what's a very difficult situation.

Seems to be a characteristic of startup LCCs. I have no sympathy for PAX. Cheap fares come with risk.

[asiawatcher]

What a gay day... but why all the hooha with police investigations et al? I mean they have one month only for a licence to "try out" and someone makes a snip at them for having one plane? Why would they need more? And charter flights... so what? Seems to me they are trying a valid market as South Korea is a busy route and what better way, but if their finances were suspect then it is a standard short term miscalculation cost of business. Good on them for having a go and if they are a budget airline to fill a gap at least they are trying. In this lousy financial environment they have the balls to give it a go and this is a hiccup they perhaps overlooked. Give them the chance to proceed without chopping their legs out from under them, they have less than 2 weeks to prove it viable.

In fact - just looking around today and asking a few questions, these PC guys may be the scape goat, as other low cost locals have allowed PC to run, to do what they need to know, and they may well get chopped only for one of the more 'known' Thai companies to step up to the plate - usual BS - a phone call, some money and pull the pin - paving the way for the competitor to be the knight in shining armour to save pax and keep the route open - at increased fare costs and probably without the gays... No scruples in Thailand... its all about winning the game at any cost.

[LisuLover]

"ONE PLANE" - that's not an airline, that's an airplane. And probably a fairly old one.

[ginjag]

PC Air

If you arse hurts on arrival, it's not because of those low-cost seats.

If your fanny hurts on arrival???? would that be the same???? sorry but this comment is out of order, sad you have a issue with their staff. some jokes are o.k. this one is sick. Leave people alone, if they do not interfere with you, then their lifestyle is not your business.

[Payboy]

PC Air

If you arse hurts on arrival, it's not because of those low-cost seats.

If your fanny hurts on arrival???? would that be the same???? sorry but this comment is out of order, sad you have a issue with their staff. some jokes are o.k. this one is sick. Leave people alone, if they do not interfere with you, then their lifestyle is not your business.

What's up? Are you president of the PC Air mile high club or something?

Edited October 20, 2012 by Payboy