Passenger brawl heralds end of Metal Age for Thai Airways

[webfact]

Passenger brawl heralds end of Metal Age for Thai Airways
By Coconuts Bangkok


Sadly the spoon is a sad victim of guilt by association.

BANGKOK: -- A violent brawl Thursday between Chinese passengers on a Thai Airways flight has claimed a casualty: stainless steel tableware.

The national carrier is testing the use of plastic knives and forks during meal service after one passenger cut bloody gashes into another's head who attacked him for eating too loudly.

The change from metal to plastic would be made to improve passenger safety, the airline's Chatree Pongsak told [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2014/04/21/passenger-brawl-heralds-end-metal-age-thai-airways


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-04-21

[laurentbkk]

thats why I always fly business class ..... but not on TG of course

[bigbamboo]

Phew!

For a minute there I thought THAI were talking about their aircraft.

[TVGerry]

It always takes a few to screw it up for everyone else.

Why isn't surprising it's someone from China causing trouble for everyone else? Idiots.

Edited April 21, 2014 by TVGerry

[winstonc]

i must say on my honeymoon years ago we were surrounded by chinese who ate like utter pigs..no disrespect to pigs of course it natural to them but some humans have no class or manners what so ever..i understand the rage but maybe earplugs would have sufficed..

[Pimay1]

The national carrier is testing the use of plastic knives and forks during meal service after one passenger cut bloody gashes into another's head who attacked him for eating too loudly.

Not sure what transpired to drive the guy to the extreme of attacking the other one but I'll say this. I have been to many places in China and eaten at many of their restaurants and I felt like doing the same thing at times.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Pimay1

[lee b]

Why?? Just lock the idiot up behind metal bars ! Again the behavour of a small group can have changes to everyone. I hate eating with that plastic rubbish on planes, if the meat is over cooked and hard you can't even pick it up with a plastic folk

[CelticBhoy]

"Metal Age for Thai Airways"

Hard rock during a long flight would be great.

Might even take your mind off the awful food.

[Just1Voice]

Here in CNX my wife has a Thai friend who owns a very nice restaurant here with is wife. They finally put up a sign out front in Thai, English and Chinese that clearly states: "SORRY, NO CHINESE ALLOWED" due to their obnoxious eating habits, which were driving away all of his Thai and other customers.

[Songhua]

Not that long ago they were only stealing it .

[laislica]

More like this is the excuse to make the change - to save money?

[DLock]

thats why I always fly business class ..... but not on TG of course

From experience, Chinese people eat loudly in all classes.

Someone in business class will still take chunks out of you head with a metal spoon.

...and a piece of glassware will do a whole lot more damage than a desert spoon...so enjoy your plastic cups as well.

Your logic may be flawed...but thanks for letting us know.

[amerasian]

Another group of quality upscale visitors from China, Singapore airlines had to demand their silverware back from a flight full of Chinese. Before they would let them exit the aircraft.....lol

[bigbamboo]

Chinese Airlines only have two classes..... Business Class and No Class.

[NongKhaiKid]

Here in CNX my wife has a Thai friend who owns a very nice restaurant here with is wife. They finally put up a sign out front in Thai, English and Chinese that clearly states: "SORRY, NO CHINESE ALLOWED" due to their obnoxious eating habits, which were driving away all of his Thai and other customers.

All ' quality ' tourists as promised by TAT.

I have no sympathy for any business that allows its self to become totally dependent on Chinese tourists as in Phuket according to the local tourist authority.

As in Just1Voice's post their behaviour has driven off all other tourists both domestic and foreign and if the Chinese move on many businesses in Phuket will go under.

[londonthai]

thai airways are using plastic cutlery since 7/11, as many other airlines.

gradually metal ones were back in business class.

very few airlines, like emirates, got it back for economy class as well

[JoeThePoster]

Why not just give plastic chopsticks to the Chinese pax?

[MaxLee]

Just demolish the TG plane apart, because everything can be used as a weapon, even the arm of the chair, or the headphones...

[tonytigerbkk]

The removal of real cutlery does not provide any added safety for the passengers.

The most dangerous weapon that can be taken onto an aircraft is a bottle of duty free alcohol.

The weight of a full one liter glass bottle is enough to cause serious damage but when the bottle is smashed, you then have a very dangerous lethal weapon.

In fact if you forget to take your lethal weapon on board, you can always buy the one from the duty free that the trolly dollies sell during the flight.

Soon after 9/11 I had to fly to the U.S. and was given plastic cutlery with my steak dinner and while trying to cut the steak, the fork sprung upwards and left gravy all over my white shirt.

I then had to sit on a plane for a further 10+ hours in dirty clothing.

The only thing that plastic knives and forks do is cause an inconvenience to passengers and a saving for the airlines.

[Kerryd]

If they get rid of the metal tableware, how will I ever complete my 12 person place setting ?!?!?!? (Actually, the only metal eating utensils I've ever boosted from an airplane is a set of stainless steel chopsticks from a Korean Air flight years ago).

It took a fair bit of shopping around in Pattaya to finally find some decent quality forks and spoons that don't bend out of shape the first time you try and cut a soft noodle. With all the flights I've done over the last few years, I could have outfitted a small restaurant with quality table ware from different airlines had I tried swiping the odd fork or spoon now and then.

It's OK though, sounds like the (American) TSA wants to let people carry knives and bats onto planes again (knives with blades up to 2 3/4" (7cm) and those "souvenir" baseball bats that are eerily similar to the clubs fishermen use to club large fish with). Pre 9/11 I used to carry my Leatherman with me whenever I flew anywhere and more than once used the knife blade to cut through some rather tough airline meat.

If the TSA lets people carry weapons onto planes again, then metal utensils should make a return as well. Then my dream of having all my tableware come from various airlines may finally come true !

[chainarong]

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It always takes a few to screw it up for everyone else.

Why isn't surprising it's someone from China causing trouble for everyone else? Idiots.

For ten years in a row they have been awarded the worst tourists award, have you ever experienced the arrival of two dozen Chinese in a hotel lobby, its scary .

[geriatrickid]

More like this is the excuse to make the change - to save money?

You are correct. The intent is to cut down on the weight and the costs of preparation, cleaning and of course theft.

There is no need for metal cutlery in economy. Many other airlines implemented this long ago. Metal cutlery will remain in the premium classes.

TG is desperate to cut any and all costs.

Another item up for consideration is removing food and beverage service on Y flights of 90 minutes or less, which are mostly Thai Smile flights. Air Asia only offers purchase options. Most of the snacks offered in Y class on Nok and Thai Smile go in the trash anyway.

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

The removal of real cutlery does not provide any added safety for the passengers.

The most dangerous weapon that can be taken onto an aircraft is a bottle of duty free alcohol.

The weight of a full one liter glass bottle is enough to cause serious damage but when the bottle is smashed, you then have a very dangerous lethal weapon.

In fact if you forget to take your lethal weapon on board, you can always buy the one from the duty free that the trolly dollies sell during the flight.

Soon after 9/11 I had to fly to the U.S. and was given plastic cutlery with my steak dinner and while trying to cut the steak, the fork sprung upwards and left gravy all over my white shirt.

I then had to sit on a plane for a further 10+ hours in dirty clothing.

The only thing that plastic knives and forks do is cause an inconvenience to passengers and a saving for the airlines.

Yeah , same in OZ , Amanda Vanstone thought she was doing the world a favour by going plastic ,(9/11) plastic forks can do untold damage around the eye area as with knives.

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

We are waiting for the Chinese to begin to descend of Thai golf courses. We put up with lots of bad golfing manners from Thais and Koreans but the Chinese will make Thais and Koreans look like an R & A committee meeting.

[Prbkk]

Really, this thread is full of racist clap-trap, much of it deeply offensive..

[mrtoad]

We are waiting for the Chinese to begin to descend of Thai golf courses. We put up with lots of bad golfing manners from Thais and Koreans but the Chinese will make Thais and Koreans look like an R & A committee meeting.

Absolutely agree, they are an absolute menace - although the Koreans on Golf Courses are bad as well. The Chinese Package tours are like a group of locusts, and do nothing for the local economies - it is not a market that Thailand will do well out of.

As for TG, as I generally don't fly with them it's not going to effect me.

[ginjag]

A line has to be drawn, Metal or no Metal never mind If it's business or not, you mean to tell me an economy passenger is more likely to maim than business-stupid.

Class doe's NOT come into dangerous or not.

Taking a sharp object on board is prohibited as it could be used to hi-jack and or injure others. Food served---hey presto---STEEL knife and fork. Stupid again.

correct me if i'm wrong--liquid at 99ml as many as you like but one with 110 ml is not allowed. ????

TAT as mentioned loves these tourists, Thailand do not give a fig about their manners as long as the stats are kept high and money is flowing.

I wonder what % of Thai customers are CHINESE. are they all they can attract these days, apart from the few posters on here that NEVER had any problem with them.

[tracklayer]

I think a chopstick would be my choice of weapon ;-)

[darrendsd]

Really, this thread is full of racist clap-trap, much of it deeply offensive..

Agreed, a lot of comments here are just wong

[bigbamboo]

Really, this thread is full of racist clap-trap, much of it deeply offensive..

You're right it is racism but as with so many 'isms' there is more than an element of truth in it.