Stranger on board Nok Air flight without an air ticket or an ID card

[Lucie]

I'm booked on Nok Air to Bangkok tomorrow morning.... Actually, just after a security breach must be the best time to fly - their ears will still be ringing with the sound of the boss' reprimands and threats.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[jcb2001]

From the OP: As for the stranger, it was reported that he was escorted by police to a mental hospital for checks and he was later released.

The real scary thing about this is the police apparently didn't follow through with a proper investigation. I guessing they still don't know who he was or his intentions. Sounds like the police just blew him off as a crazy man.

[lucifer666]

"Security will be stepped up". So ONLY NOW are they going to check your boarding pass.

[Windy]

Knoc Air is certainly not on my flying list as of now......

Never heard of them, where do you live

[Windy]

I'm considering to cancel a upcoming trip to BKK on Nok Air and also due to escalating threats between the parties there.

Good idea, I'm sure they will miss you

[Fookhaht]

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Amazing. Fifteen years ago airline security was almost non-existant and it was not an issue. Just shows the influence of propaganda and false flags.

What are you referring to?

The 9-11 attack, or the PanAm disaster over Lockerbie, Scotland?

Hardly "propaganda" or "false flags," unless you're Muslim and adhere to the "Jews did it" conspiracy theorists. Wake up and smell reality, man!

Edited April 7, 2014 by Fookhaht

[Fookhaht]

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I'm booked on Nok Air to Bangkok tomorrow morning.... Actually, just after a security breach must be the best time to fly - their ears will still be ringing with the sound of the boss' reprimands and threats.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Unless they fired all the slackers, and are now training a bunch of newbies who don't know a Nok boarding pass from a 7-11 receipt, which by the way, are quite similar.

[phiber]

Wow!

Im amazed at the incompetence.

At least when i fly Bangkok-Amsterdam there are 2 security checkpoints.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Guitar God]

I fly over 150k miles a year and I feel no less safe of NOK Air than any other airline. I'm flying out of DMK with them tomorrow and I have no qualms.

I flew on Egypt Air from Cairo to Luxor 8 months after 9-11 and the guy in front of me had a roll of duct tape and a box cutter in a bag security ran through the x-ray machine. Security took out the box cutter, looked at it and then handed it back to him to board the plane with.

I had to change seats twice, the first one the back was broken and the second one the seat belt didn't fasten. I'll take NOK Air over that any time.

[Guitar God]

I'm sure they will be more diligent, at least for a while. Like I said earlier, they had a pre-airport security ID check point set up in Ubon on Friday. They checked my ID 3 times and my boarding pass twice that trip.

"Security will be stepped up". So ONLY NOW are they going to check your boarding pass.

[webfact]

NOK AIR
Security measures beefed up at Hat Yai Airport
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Airports of Thailand, the operator of Hat Yai International Airport, has strengthened its security measures following security breach yesterday.

AOT President Makin Petplai said that after the incident with a Nok Air flight, the security system has been reviewed.

Without a ticket, a passenger boarded Nok Air’s Flight DD 7105 from the provincial airport.

Makin said that there was a discussion with airlines operating from the airport.

He added that the number of officers tasked to screen tickets and passengers’ IDs is increased. Officers in the CCTV rooms at all airports are told to monitor the premises thoroughly and file reports to the security centre every 30 minutes.

Officers at the Hat Yai airport have been suspended, pending for further investigation.

AOT regretted for the incident, he said. All airport directors have been told to strictly followed safety measures and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)’s regulations.


-- The Nation 2014-04-07

[shaurene]

.....note to self: Do not fly on Nok Air.

Hi Mate

What kind of a flag is that you show it defo not the George Cross.

[ABCer]

NOK Air staff should be checked at the same mental hospital.

Once they pass the test, considering where the hospital is situated, the hospital staff certification should be checked as well.

nok-nok!... who's there?... bomb delivery! ... have you got an ID? ... no, I'm nok-nok...

[TheReporter]

The truth behind all these smaller airlines are that they do not have the expertise to truly management a high level security situation, which is why it is easy to manipulate and compromise their so called security system. Smaller airlines; especially those who are only flying domestically always in the preconceived notions that nothing can happen, since their flights are only domestic and not international, whereas the truth is, domestic flights are just as dangerous and equally prone to security threat. Another true fact about smaller airlines is that they do not invest in professional security. Most of them time, they would simply use mediocre security staff who have little or no training in aviation security, so the result is what you have witnessed here with Nok Air.

[jim cortesos]

The guy is a bozo.Does not speak Thai no english...no passport..no boarding pass..no seat number .Lots of people like that running around here in San Francisco until they are in the news.Crazy is crazy where ever you go.

[misterme]

The passengers demanded that the baggage be removed from the aircraft and checked.

Says it all really doesn't it.

Why were the aircrew not automatically responding with a full security breach procedure?

Why were the airport not automatically responding with a full security breach procedure?

Why has the individual been released before a full enquiry into the incident has been completed?

Thailand air security - Mai Bpen Rai.

If he had no ticket, he didn't even go to the check-in counter. How would there be any checked luggage.

Perhaps you have noticed, when you board a plane they usually check your boarding pass as you enter the plane. In many countries they also announce "This flight is going to XXX. If you are booked to another city, you have boarded the wrong flight". Do you think this is an isolated event. These procedures come from and abundance of similar events.

lomatopo and Guitar God have both posted incidents of it on this thread too.

The security should have picked this up.

I haven't flown out of Hat Yai for a while but you usually have to show your boarding pass and passport just after the hand luggage scanner in order to gain access to the departure area.

I boarded a TG flight from Yangon a few weeks ago and a middle eastern man was pushing to get off as he had got on the wrong flight!!!

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Seems to me that this only became an issue when the passenger who's seat was taken complained.. In many cases, he would probably have just taken another empty seat (assuming the aircraft was not full), and no one would have been any the wiser.

Begs the question, how many times has a similar security lapse occurred....

Nok air should loose it's licence over this without a shadow of a doubt.

I would guess this happens regularly enough, in Thailand and around the world.

I'm amazed only 20 passengers chose to take issue with the airline, and to demand a change of plane. ALL the passengers should have been doing so, and vociferously.

I see no reason for changing planes. What would be the logic behind that?

Perhaps deplaning, and sending all pax through the metal detectors and xrays for carry ons. That's about it.

Checking ID is a revenue management tool, it provides no real security whatsoever.

Agree 100% with Guitar God

I'd fly Nok again. In fact, I will go further. In Thailand, if one airline takes a shortcut they all do. I wouldn't be so sure that these problems are limited to Nok.

[ChiangraiTony]

"Security will be stepped up" do they not mean security will now be implemented, as it is certain it was non existent before.

This exposure of deficiencies in so called security couldn't come at a worse time with the MH 370 story still ongoing.

Will there be a proper investigation and necessary action taken including against staff found to be lax OR will there be a cover up with the mandatory weak excuses?

Oh what a stupid question

I respectfully disagree with your comment: "This exposure of deficiencies in so called security couldn't come at a worse time with the MH 370 story still ongoing".

In my opinion this deficiency comes at a good time. Security issues are wide spread not exclusive to Malaysia. By having airlines under the watchful eye of a microscope not only raise the level of awareness but now creates a more critique in making air travel safer. When customers threaten to stop using their airline this will gain attention to improve. Let's hope so...

[mrdome]

Dumbass should a hid his ass in the toilet.

The chances of that working are pretty slim, even on Nok Air.

[wellred]

These flights are usually delayed anyway so when the gates do finally ope for boarding they tend to rush everyone through. If it wasn't that then I'm baffled how this could have occurred.

[GentlemanJim]

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I'm considering to cancel a upcoming trip to BKK on Nok Air and also due to escalating threats between the parties there.

Go ahead, cancel. Quite an extraordinary reaction by you and many others on here. A large hole in security has been found, the result was only that security will now improve. Nok Air will move to get rid of its complacent nature along with airport security (many airlines suffer this), and things will get better. You could now arguably say that Nok Air will be the safest airline to fly on in Thailand tomorrow.

They had an instance of poor security caused by Human Error in a business where they have tens of thousands of people travel everyday. I doubt they will do it again, but those airlines who continue to have a lax attitude towards maintenance and servicing will continue to do so and you should be MUCH more worried about that, a category that Nok Air does not fall in to. Happy traveling, just make sure you pick the right alternative

Nok Air apologizes its customers for letting a man board its aircraft without a ticket

SONGKHLA, 7 April 2014 (NNT) - CEO of the local low-cost airline Nok Air, Patee Sarasin, apologized to his customers for letting a man without a ticket to board the plane last night in Hat Yai Airport in Songkhla Province.

The message was posted under the Twitter handle @Patee122 which also indicated that the company has met with police and the airport’s security officials to strengthen the safety measures, ensuring passengers that the airline would be stricter when inspecting document before allowing passengers to board its jet.

The message also underlined that such an incident would not be repeated and that safety is Nok Air’s top priority.

Meanwhile, the airline’s Facebook page made an announcement regarding the incident, echoing its CEO’s apology for its mistake and reiterating that the company has increased its security measures following the event and that the company would continue to place its passengers’ safety first.


-- NNT 2014-04-07

Apologizing to passengers just isn't sufficient. Where are the FAA and other ruling bodies on this? Why is this airline not grounded? And, why is this airport not closed TFN? If these steps are not taken, how will other airports and airlines take security seriously?

The FAA is in the United States (a shocker I know). The airline is not grounded and the airport is not closed because risk management says it is not necessary.

The only people that have displayed gross negligence in all of this are the police who let this fruit cake go after committing 3 or 4 crimes with 100 witnesses. Now THAT makes the system unsafe!

[balo]

This is Thailand, no problem , farang think too mucch. , now where is my noodles .

[NongKhaiKid]

"Security will be stepped up" do they not mean security will now be implemented, as it is certain it was non existent before.

This exposure of deficiencies in so called security couldn't come at a worse time with the MH 370 story still ongoing.

Will there be a proper investigation and necessary action taken including against staff found to be lax OR will there be a cover up with the mandatory weak excuses?

Oh what a stupid question

I respectfully disagree with your comment: "This exposure of deficiencies in so called security couldn't come at a worse time with the MH 370 story still ongoing".

In my opinion this deficiency comes at a good time. Security issues are wide spread not exclusive to Malaysia. By having airlines under the watchful eye of a microscope not only raise the level of awareness but now creates a more critique in making air travel safer. When customers threaten to stop using their airline this will gain attention to improve. Let's hope so...

You are quite right and i should have said that in a less controlled country it would have been harder to ignore the incident as the media would have been all over it but TIT.

I do believe MAS will suffer badly and the admission they never check passports against the Interpol data does nothing to reassure passengers,

.

[Kitsch22]

The culprit was "escorted by police to a mental hospital for checks and he was later released"... This sounds like in invitation for future problems.

This person just commited 4 crimes that I can see

Why was he released ????

Perhaps released from the hospital into the waiting arms of the police? The article isn't quite clear as I read it.

[bangon04]

The passengers demanded that the baggage be removed from the aircraft and checked.

Says it all really doesn't it.

Why were the aircrew not automatically responding with a full security breach procedure?

Why were the airport not automatically responding with a full security breach procedure?

Why has the individual been released before a full enquiry into the incident has been completed?

Thailand air security - Mai Bpen Rai.

or if you pronounce it in English with a Thai accent: "No Care"

[MaxLee]

Okay next time I commit any serious crime offense, just call me mentally retarded and just let me walk, Mai pen rai....

[belg]

is it the airline's fault or the security check or both ?

but hey, none will take the blame

viva la thailanda

[stockholm1995]

AOT should fire the airport manager.

Why did they let the guy go? If he wasn´t crazy, he maybe wanted to check the security for next time.

[Fookhaht]

Hey, Belg & Stockholm! Try reading the thread before you reply. Both issues have been discussed and some basically settled pages ago.

Those who post without reading a thread show their own self-importance and a disdain for other forum members' contributions. OK, I'll put the soapbox up for awhile.

[JoeThePoster]

Nok Air CEO Pathee Sarasin later tweeted promising that such an incident would be not repeated again as security would be stepped up.

I suggest a Nok Hunt campaign for ground staff, this time only those with a minimum IQ of 20 can apply.