Thai Airways International dumb to paint over logo

[Wavefloater]

This reminds me of the way they use a mosaic pattern on Thai TV shows to "disguise" guns and cigarettes. Unfortunately, it has the opposite effect as what's intended -- just draws more attention.

As for nobody in the Thai Airways executive offices being able to work out that white paint would be a better choice and much more subtle than the obvious black they chose to slop on this plane, I don't think I can trust this airline anymore.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Wavefloater

[Kananga]

I think it is common practice for all airlines worldwide to paint out that logo no matter what country or company.

This is a standard practice. I saw BEA (remember them) do it to Viscount which ran off the runway at Glasgow in 1968

Edited September 16, 2013 by Kananga

[Larry001]

By painting over the logo they have increased their exposure by about 200%. More people will know about this accident due to the covering of the logo than when it simply happened. Why drawextra attention to it. Thai mentality and business brains!!!!!

[TackyToo]

Spirits were apeased here too.

http://www.nycaviation.com/2011/01/alaska-airlines-launches-new-hawaii-service-from-bellingham-washington/#.UjWOaMZmiG4

and here

http://www.examiner.com/article/hawaiian-airlines-airbus-a330-200-gets-a-blessing-from-the-skies

The difference is they do not blame evil spirits for their lack of professionalism or any wrongdoing after a crash...

[Dellie]

This is standard practice by most airlines. They do it to keep the specific accident plane anonymous not to keep the airline anonymous. This is to keep this plane in traffic without complaints once the repairs are done.

[GeorgeO]

I wonder why it's so important to mention Kenyon? Because Thai Airways is blaming them for the PR mishap? And in return they have to show that they helped during the tsunami recovery in 2004, so "please spare your blames on us"?

Ridiculous.

Yes, a severely disjointed article which moves from the THAI Airways debacle to a completely different issue with no attempt to link the two...!

Furthermore, pointing out that two other countries have done the same thing in the past, and received criticism for it, in no way helps to justify their painting over the logo!

I suggest that they will lose a lot of customers as a result of this nonsense.

[asdecas]

I wonder why it's so important to mention Kenyon? Because Thai Airways is blaming them for the PR mishap? And in return they have to show that they helped during the tsunami recovery in 2004, so "please spare your blames on us"?

Ridiculous.

Yes, a severely disjointed article which moves from the THAI Airways debacle to a completely different issue with no attempt to link the two...!

Furthermore, pointing out that two other countries have done the same thing in the past, and received criticism for it, in no way helps to justify their painting over the logo!

I suggest that they will lose a lot of customers as a result of this nonsense.

Well it is the Daily Getsmuchworse, formerly the Nation - now with subtracted native English sub-editors.

[belg]

it was during the crash that the logo was damanged

nobody to blame, nobody loses face

[bangon04]

let me suggest...to do a paint job to cover the logo or anywhere else .use a colour same as the aircraft body colour...then this will serve the purpose of whatever reason they are doing it...

and don't forget the painting on the tail , they better just wrap it in dark plastic so the whole plane is gone

Yes that would really impress the accident investigators from Airbus.....a perfect way to close the case ...... the evil spirits caused the evil farang company to overlook essential maintenance on their 20 year old badly maintained aircraft.

Badly maintained? I have flown on this very aircraft several times - broken seatbacks, tray tables, a video screen projector so badly maintained that it is near impossible to make out the movie / TAT propaganda video, headphone sockets etc etc. If the airline does not care about the cabin fittings, how would we trust them to take care of more expensive and difficult complicated items?

Edited September 16, 2013 by bangon04

[bangon04]

This is standard practice by most airlines. They do it to keep the specific accident plane anonymous not to keep the airline anonymous. This is to keep this plane in traffic without complaints once the repairs are done.

Sorry your post makes no sense at all.

[Michael8511]

Guys, this was an accident and with only 14 injured, I think it's to much notice for nothing. In the Asiana accident a while back there was a pilot error and one person killed by the fire trucks. I have used Thai for many years until their direct flight from NY to BKK was cancelled. I don't believe they have that bad safety on board so they need all this noice.

Another thing I read a lot here are all the complaints about Thailand and Thai banks etc. a couple of days ago it was about Bangkok Bank and eBay I can just say that there are also us banks debit card that can't be used everywhere one example are Chase debit card with Visa logo are not accepted by Western Union.

[Zolt]

I think it is common practice for all airlines worldwide to paint out that logo no matter what country or company.

This: I've seen lots other airlines do the same.

[louse1953]

Same as they do in bus accidents here.

[Kananga]

I think it is common practice for all airlines worldwide to paint out that logo no matter what country or company.

This: I've seen lots other airlines do the same.

Where?

[Arkady]

The first bum covering statement claimed this was Star Alliance policy and "in line with international standards" but was an obvious lie because Star Alliance has no policy to do this and anyway the Star Aliiance logo was left visible.

Sadly, it is part of the mindset that treats foreigners as if they are all idiots and commands them like Thai peasants to believe bare faced lies by corruption riddled puu yai. If they don't comply obsequiously, they will be told patronisingly that they don't understand Thailand or have wrong information.

[Gsxrnz]

interesting that they had the equipment and supplies at the ready to respond ( for painting)

I don't think it would be too hard to uncover a paint brush, a can of paint, and a ladder at the majority of international airports.

[rjcampbe]

They should have painted "This is an Air Asia plane".

[ggold]

It's obviously a cover up

[connda]

And in a typically Thai-ficient manner, they had some poor sod up there with a 2" paint brush with the first tin of paint he found in the shed.

Much more efficient to simply spray it over with white paint - and less frigging OBVIOUIS!!!!

Yeah, first time I saw it, I thought that the blacked-out area was part of the fuselage that was missing. My initial though was that part of the plane broke off.

[Wat dee]

Paint over co. logo is quite SOB used by most airlines in the world. SAS did it few years back...nothing special.

[outsider]

Painting over the corporate logo may or may not be a standard procedure - this I will not comment on. But the stupidity of the Thai official to just randomly 'credit' Star Alliance for this 'guideline' beggars believe.

[Suffinator]

Could of been the ghosts trying to help out - mind you they might have been busy putting their feet up in their purpose built condo - yep the AOT built a condo just for the ghosts.

Bad Spirits Responsible for Thai Airways Crash

[loogkreung]

Aircrash Investigation will be something to look forward to. The painters and decorators (and emergency services) in hot pursuit of the crippled plane.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The thing is, this incident wouldn't have attracted as much international coverage as it has, if Thai hadn't painted over the logo, the thing they were trying to do....ie de-indentify the plane has put more of a spot light on this incident than it most likely have got normally so a PR cock up in the first instance , now compounded by a senior person in Thai blaming bad spirits....really going to instill confidence in tourists in choosing That as their preferred air line....

It's seems to me, Thai have made a relevantly simple if unfortunate incident, which could have PR'ed pretty easily and turned it into a circus and drawing attention to themselves and the all important face, which is the thing they set out to avoid...lesson for Thai engade the brain before opening the mouth...

From a public relations perspective, I think that's a dead-on correct assessment. They made the whole thing far worse, and gathered far more bad international publicity, than if they had just left the runway mishap alone.

Runway mishaps of various sorts happen on a regular basis around the world, some not serious, some more serious. By itself, the Thai episode wasn't headed toward being particularly serious -- until the company got its painters jet involved. And then practiced a bit of corporate doublespeak, got caught, had to do an aboutface, etc etc etc.

Recall, just last month, a Nok Air plane went off the runway at Trang Airport in a bit less serious incident, and of course, far away from the hub of BKK... But no one's talking about that incident now, and it didn't get any widespread publicity then... And Nok, a Thai subsidiary, didn't paint out its corporate identifiers in that episode, and thus had nothing to get caught red-handed at.

Now, hopefully, there's going to be a more serious look at why Airbus and the various airlines that use the A330 and A340s have known since at least 2007-08 that those models of aircraft had trouble-prone landing gear structures, and the various regulalators had publicly warned they were subject to potential collapse, as occurred in the THAI Air case. But still allowed the carriers a very long period of years before requiring the replacement of the trouble-prone gear.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Paint over co. logo is quite SOB used by most airlines in the world. SAS did it few years back...nothing special.

From my research, I haven't found that to be true... Some airlines do the paint job after mishaps, yes, that's true.

But I've see as many or more where the paint job practice has not been done, including the Thai Air jet that blew up at Don Muang in 2001, the One-Two-Go jet that crashed at Phuket in 2007, and as mentioned, the Nok Air (THAI subsidiary) jet that ran off the runway at Trang Airport just last month, in addition to the Asiana jet that crashed at SFO earlier this year.

None of those got post-mishap paint-overs. I suspect, the "common practice" myth is just more an effort at CYA by THAI Air and Co...

[dogeatdog]

Ok so we all have had some fun with this I know, me included although I think the cartoon video clip on youtube a

little too far.

Blacking out of registation numbers company logo's etc in the event of incidents and accidents can be standard proceedure or may not be this will depend on how internal orders are drafted. So there is no standard between airlines.

The practice is derived is from insurance polices and leagle departments.

Im sorry to have to say this but aviation is about bums on seats and my sincere appoligies for anyone who has had a loss through an aviation accident.

However industry is money driven and in the event of an "overdue aircraft" guide lines and polices are written.

The first order of any document is the for the "company interest" specific orders and guide lines are in place for these events. Priority number one is to protect the company's interest. I wish I could show a copy of our insurance small print but its confidential.

These guide lines/polices are then drafted in to internal documents this is what the crisis control document is.

For some reason or another either thai airways never followed there's or it was very badly written. Basically the response from the begining has been ill advised and i guess they will now have a huge problem in regard to their future inssurance given their responce into what afterall is a minor incident.

Insurance payouts are like this avg.

Crash in the ocean all pax lost. Minimum pay out from insurance all dead. Hull loss research and possible hull component recovery etc. Pax = child minimum payout non contribute does not work so burden.

Man 18 and 30 max payout most to contribute to work.

Age 30 to 40 less 40 to 50 less over 50 = to child.

Nice cheap nothing to worry about.

Crash on a village with survivors oh my max max pay out.

Pay out increases to max for people on ground. They never brought a ticket to the party so they get the most. The survivors exspensive too maybe medical bills for rest of life etc...

Ok you get the picture and sorry for being so blunt.

The point is the is only one crisis communication policy per company and it covers all accidents and events from minor to disaster.

Thai airways just made a bit of a mess if it thats all. But the good thing is no one was killed.

One last thing to say at the "im not flying thai airways anymore brigade". I will see you in the checkin queue on the next thaiairways offer. People can be so fickle!

[dogeatdog]

@john

All types of aircraft have high profile problem not just A330/340.

A380. Enough said....

B787. Enough said...

B737. Full rudder reversion

ATR42. Deicing boots

B777. Reduction in power "roll back"

Bae 146/Avro jr. Roll back again

Airbus 320 family v2500. Cowl separation

B747/300/400. Cargo door opening.

B737, 747, centre fuel tank explosions.

As for the last research the 145 requirement for personal to under take fuel tank saftey course. You should find much info on these events.

My list can go on and on. This is a low profile incident that social media made huge.

Ever herd about the RJ A310 same event colapse of MLG at zaventem airport. Lot worse than the thai event but no social media there so nothing told....... or the 747 that landed with a reported lighting strike. Pan pan in to liege btw the reported lightning stike happend over affganistan. Nice mess of the rear fuse

[dogeatdog]

Appoliges john. Just re read my last post sounded like I was being an arse towards you. That was not my intension. Just trying the deepen the conversation from the " im not flying thai brigade" thats all and to enlighten ppl to the fact all aircraft and all airports and all airlines have problems.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Thanks... As I noted in my earlier post:

Runway mishaps of various sorts happen on a regular basis around the world, some not serious, some more serious.

The same is true with mechanical problems. And, in all of my posts here, I've never expressed any opinion about not flying or wanting to fly THAI Air because, to me, that's pretty irrelevant on a personal level.

But, it's more than a bit curious to me that the regulators let this Airbus A330/340 issue drag out for so many years and allowed what seems like a pretty long timeline (years!) for requiring the carriers to replace the suspect landing gear structures, all the while warning that landing gear collapses could cause incidents just like occurred here last week.

That, and, it isn't clear to me from what I've been able to read that Airbus has come up with a solid fix for this... There was talk of replacing the problem units with an "enhanced bogie beam" part, but then later discussion in EASA ADs about even the "enhanced" parts showing up with problems. But I'll admit, it's not been made clear in public AFAIK just what the status of that is.

Finally, as for what caused this item to spread like wildfire, I'm sure social media played a role... But I think on the international level, it was something much simpler. The BKK Post in its Sept 9 and 10 editions published photos of the painted over jet, and those were picked up by the Associated Press wire service which has a bureau here in Bangkok, which then distributed them to news media clients around the world, which is what the AP does.

That's the main reason why countries all around the world had the photo and/or articles about the THAI Air mishap in their newspapers and other media outlets. Although I'm sure the social media circles were buzzing with the news as well as the coverage replicated.

Edited September 16, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

But just to show how little things sometimes can become BIG!!!!... Over the weekend, I was watching a documentary on the horrible July 2000 crash of the Air France Concorde jet into a hotel near Paris shortly after takeoff, killing all 109 onboard and 4 others on the ground. That also became the death knell for killing the Concorde as an operational commercial aircraft.

I hadn't remembered after all these years, but the reason that Concorde crashed was that, during takeover, one of its tires ran over a sharp metal strip that had fallen off another jet that had taken off a few minutes earlier. The Concorde tire, traveling at a high speed during roll for takeover, pretty much disintegrated and debris flew back and hit the wing, causing a fuel leak that then caught fire and ultimately killed the jet.

After reaching take-off speed, the tyre of the number 2 wheel was cut by a metal strip lying on the runway, which came from the thrust reverser cowl door of the number 3 engine of a Continental Airlines DC-10 that had taken off from the runway several minutes before. This strip, installed in Houston, Texas, had been neither manufactured nor installed in accordance with the procedures as defined by the manufacturer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_4590

As I said, sometimes the little things end up becoming very big.