THAI denies staff ignored passengers during landing incident

[webfact]

THAI denies staff ignored passengers during landing incident
By English News



BANGKOK, Sept 10 - Thai Airways International (THAI) today reaffirmed that the country's national flag carrier maintained its high standard of passenger safety and said that its staff did not ignore passengers during Sunday night's landing incident.

Board of Directors Chairman Ampon Kittiampon remarked in response to accusations of staff ignoring passenger needs and well-being as well as the inconvenience they faced during and after the flight TG679, operating an Airbus A330-300 aircraft, departed from China's Guangzhou to Bangkok Sunday evening skidded off the runway upon landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The aircraft carried 288 passengers and 14 cabin crew. Twelve injured passengers were already discharged from the hospital while two other remain hospitalised but should be able to leave hospitals in the next few days.

Mr Ampon asserted that the cabin crew did not abandon passengers as rumours swirled in social media, but with only 14 staff on board, he said, it was impossible to take care all 280 passengers one by one. The staff did manage to help all passengers to escape the aircraft safely.

Regarding the luggage and other belongings, passengers were not allowed to take items with them during the accident according to international standard practice, but they can pick them up from today.

"We still have trust in the safety standard of our airline as well as our pilots as the accident occurred due to a technical glitch. Investigation is underway", the board chairman said.

Mr Ampon said THAI possesses nearly 30 Airbus A330-300 aircraft. The damaged one has been used for about 17 years and was in good condition for flying regional routes. Regular maintenance was conducted while the pilots have their best standard.

Following complaints from passengers about inconvenience which occurred during and after the crash, especially luggage claims, Mr Ampon said there are standard practice and rules in handling the flight accident, which can not function immediately just like a bus accident.

He explained that three agencies are involved in this process including THAI mechanical team, Airbus staff and the Airports of Thailand (AoT) officials.

Passengers will be compensated under rehabilitation scheme as appropriate and under the company's regulations, said Mr Ampon, reasserting that when an accident occurs, THAI adheres to the higher standard of taking care of passengers than other airliners, while its executives also visit the injured passengers.

Mr Ampon added that the plane is expected to be retrieved within 48 hours. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-09-10

[Somtamnication]

If I was making 700k a month, I too would bullshit my way through the media.

[Thai at Heart]

No, we never make up our own reality such as it being Star Aldridge policy to block out the company livery on planes after an accident.

I await their version of events as to why this accident happened...

[laurentbkk]

whatever good or bad there will always be stupid passengers complaining about everything .... I have to give right to Thai airways in this one .... But I disagree with the high standard ... for some years now ,services dropped a lot . Well they are in huge debts soi they have to cut cost like any other companies will do.

[theblether]

I'd just be thankful that I got out of the aircraft alive, growling about suitcases being delayed is infantile.

[gl555]

At first I thought the staff ignored passengers DURING the incident and evacuation. Then reading it properly, it's about a bunch of whiny China tourists. These people get out of a potential deadly plane accident alive but complain about inconvenience and baggage delays. Bunch of idiots.

[jackr]

^^ Yeah, really, that's how I read it. Like perhaps someone alerted the cabin crew the motor was hanging off or fuel was pissing out, or indeed the trolly-dollies bolted down the chute. But no, these people were complaining because they couldn't take their rubbish with them. Unfreakingbelievable. What they should have announced is, 'stupid ingrates who want to take their bag with them, please remain seated, all that wish to escape with their lives, please follow me'.

Edited September 10, 2013 by jackr

[NongKhaiKid]

No, we never make up our own reality such as it being Star Aldridge policy to block out the company livery on planes after an accident.

I await their version of events as to why this accident happened...

I really don't know if it's Star alliance policy but it seems pointless as the livery of most major airlines will be recognised by passengers and since Swampy is Thai's home base there would be lots of other Thai aircraft around with which to compare. It wouldn't take a Sheeluck Holmes to figure it out.

I do remember many decades ago a Lufthansa cargo plane sliding off the runway at the old Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong and sinking very deep into soft grass. The airline painted out its name and logo but it was a futile move as it was widely reported in the media that while the plane was stuck the passengers on arriving flights were informed by their captain what to lookout for.

There's no sentiment in business and since no one had been injured in was viewed as a big joke.

[harrry]

I do not like his statement "was in good condition for flying regional routes".

Wherever I fly I like to know my aircraft is in great condition.

[bigbamboo]

Come on...... you can't expect a Thai hostess to be seen with smudged makeup.

Of course some could have been busy applying mascara to blot out the THAI logo?

[harrry]

Come on...... you can't expect a Thai hostess to be seen with smudged makeup.

Of course some could have been busy applying mascara to blot out the THAI logo?

they do not always look good like that.... in the mornings.

[Tywais]

No, we never make up our own reality such as it being Star Aldridge policy to block out the company livery on planes after an accident.

Seems they have back peddled on that - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666892-thai-backtracks-on-crisis-communication-rule/

[technologybytes]

I'm not sure you can believe anything from a company that painted over its logos with black paint so quickly after the accident. Clearly their priority is to save face at all costs.

[Baerboxer]

No, we never make up our own reality such as it being Star Aldridge policy to block out the company livery on planes after an accident.

I await their version of events as to why this accident happened...

I really don't know if it's Star alliance policy but it seems pointless as the livery of most major airlines will be recognised by passengers and since Swampy is Thai's home base there would be lots of other Thai aircraft around with which to compare. It wouldn't take a Sheeluck Holmes to figure it out.

I do remember many decades ago a Lufthansa cargo plane sliding off the runway at the old Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong and sinking very deep into soft grass. The airline painted out its name and logo but it was a futile move as it was widely reported in the media that while the plane was stuck the passengers on arriving flights were informed by their captain what to lookout for.

There's no sentiment in business and since no one had been injured in was viewed as a big joke.

I remember that too! Landing at Kai Tak was always entertaining enough. Cathay Pacific certainly took delight in telling you all about the Lufthansa plane. It was left there a long time.

[fakename]

I heard that there was a plane accident in Bkk, but I looked at the photo and cant figure out what airline it is. I have seen this logo before, but very hard to remember. Most airlines have a name, but this one is just black.

Seems Thai are very clever with this idea, and didnt think anyone would ask Star Alliance about this. Oh yeah, planes dont have to be in very good condition to fly regional routes.

[harrry]

I'd just be thankful that I got out of the aircraft alive, growling about suitcases being delayed is infantile.

No it is not. The passengers at least deserved to be and posssibly were entitled to have arangements to transport them to a hotel or suitible accomodation at Thai's cost together with the provision of the sleeping clothes they would need. After an accident like that shock later is possible so they should have the oportunity to have proper facilities where preferably in each hotel someone was made responsible for their wellbeing.

Just being told to go home is not care.

[beechguy]

I'm not sure you can believe anything from a company that painted over its logos with black paint so quickly after the accident. Clearly their priority is to save face at all costs.

And I'm not so sure you can believe passengers that haven't had any training in aviation. How many people have you seen get on these planes and didn't even know how to work the seatbelt?

[mrtoad]

As THAI have been found out lying already, then I am going with the passengers version.

[JoeThePoster]

As if blacking out the Thai logo on the plane wasn't enough, they've gone and pixelated the whole airport out of the OP picture.

[Pui]

Dont get me wrong, i have no problem with the Chinese, but the ones i know complain about absolute everything ! Thats if the airline was full of chinese passengers, which it probobly was..

You do spout some nonsence. What does the race of passengers have to do with anything? I have no problem with Chinese but....?

Last comment you made relating to this story you said it would be safer to get the train, really from Guangzhou?

Edited September 10, 2013 by Pui

[GentlemanJim]

Mr Ampon asserted that the cabin crew did not abandon passengers as rumours swirled in social media, but with only 14 staff on board, he said, it was impossible to take care all 280 passengers one by one.

You know sometimes, when you don't know what to say, it's just better to keep your mouth shut (maybe some people on here should reflect on that also). These kinds of statements make things so much worse.

[GentlemanJim]

I'm not sure you can believe anything from a company that painted over its logos with black paint so quickly after the accident. Clearly their priority is to save face at all costs.

And I'm not so sure you can believe passengers that haven't had any training in aviation. How many people have you seen get on these planes and didn't even know how to work the seatbelt?

Beechguy

For your normally very sensible and well thought out posts on this subject, particularly on the main thread, the one above is a bit dull really isn't it?

Regardless of the reality of the situation, if the passengers have perceived that there was no assistance from cabin crew then there is definitely a reason for that, and that reason needs to be investigated. IF the CC would have been actively assisting the pax would have said so, IF there was a proper 'crisis' reception party waiting at the terminal for the pax, then they would have expressed their gratitude. Lets face it with an accident at your own hub, full of your own staff then if you cannot field a crisis team within 5 mins it's a pretty poor show really isn't it.

[dcutman]

Surly many passports were left on the plane, how was this handled at immigration? I can only guess, not very smooth.

[johnlandy]

I'd just be thankful that I got out of the aircraft alive, growling about suitcases being delayed is infantile.

I wasn't on the flight but from the reports and what little evidence has come out so far it would seem that the incident was entirely the fault of TG.

Either the pilots screwed up, or the maintenance was not up to the required standards. The weather didn't have a bearing on the event.

The runway didn't suddenly move sideways (least not that I am aware of)

Thai have experienced several events over the past few years (OK call them accidents if you will 'but in reality they do not fall into what could be described or categorized as an accident')

and have not published full, open, transparent & exhaustive investigation report of their findings.

Thai are a long, way from being one of the safest airlines to fly.

Edited September 10, 2013 by johnlandy

[cabanlit]

Has anybody in the media actually posed the question yet, "Why have you scrubbed out the logo?"

Can't wait to hear the answer to this....

[Psych01]

And tomorrow there will be a retraction of these words, or something along those lines.

[rijb]

Has anybody in the media actually posed the question yet, "Why have you scrubbed out the logo?"

Can't wait to hear the answer to this....

Because their pixelater had the night off.

[Samaaw]

"technical glitch" -maybe Thai would like to tell us more about this "glitch" - the painting over the Thai Markings on the tail was a good idea, however what about the rest of the colours??? What a joke.

Airlines are all the same, once you have made the payment you are just a number... they act as they owe you nothing !

[Gsxrnz]

Has anybody in the media actually posed the question yet, "Why have you scrubbed out the logo?"

Can't wait to hear the answer to this....

Those pesky graffiti hooligans.

[Lancelot]

I have seen several photos of botched landings; however, this is the first I have seen with the company's logo and name painted black...