11 Thai Airways passengers and crew members injured from air turbulence

[Dustdevil]

On any plane, regardless of the customer service reputation, passengers should always have their seat belts buckled when seated, and obviously should not spend excessive time standing around fiddling with their overhead luggage. An egregious example of airliner mismanagement and passenger ignorance was the Korean plane that crashed while landing at San Francisco, ejecting a young Chinese woman. Yes, she absolutely shouldn't have been run over twice by emergency vehicles. That's horrible and I don't understand it. But she wasn't buckled up in the first place on landing! Apparently she hadn't been in an airplane before, and the crew from top to bottom were incompetent. They should have made sure everyone had their seat belts on before landing. That's basic.

Edited February 27, 2015 by Dustdevil

[kkerry]

It's no wonder they are losing money considering a flight with 227 people requires 22 Thai crew members. WOW.

Depends on the configuration of the cabin, and the number of exits. The standard is 1 FA to 50 seats (loaded or MT), NOT PAX.. BUT some Countries go up to 1 FA per 36 seats. Then there is the flight crew to be included.

Obviously, there was crew returning Home Pax. That is very very common, when allowable hours expire, or flights are cancelled. etc etc

Considering Thai wages are pretty low, I am sure, the wages bill on that flight is hardly a concern, as most people on here bitch about the high prices Thai charge. Thai, like Singapore, built it's business on service... that service isn't so great now, but is still miles ahead of other airlines I have used over the years.

I am not sure what airlines you have flown before Maybe Pterodactyl Air. The service on Thai air is poor and I am not just talking about the stews. The airplanes are out of date relics from 25 years ago. Video Screens do not work Seats do not go down they way they are supposed to

Matenance is just as important as are the Crews and I have no idea how you can compare Singapore Airlines to Thai Air Its like comparing a VW to an Mercedes

[pendingo]

Turbulence can occur unexpectedly at most any time during a flight.

Having had a bad experience with turbulence a few years ago on a European flight I tend to keep my seat belt buckled up for the duration of the flight except for trips to the bathroom or to stretch my legs.

Of course people will say it could happen during that time when I am out of my seat and that is just sod's law but the probability of that is fairly low compared with not being buckled up when seated.

It is also likely that some of the passengers were asleep at the time the turbulence struck and not buckled up or the belt was only loosely done up.

My sympathy is as much with the crew as with the passengers.

They don't have much choice as they have a duty of care to the passengers.

[a99az]

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Lucky bastards had crews on thier plane. Last time I flew thai they only had one crew on board.

One crew!! They would not of been aloud to fly they need to meet safety standards to fly thy would need more than a pilot.

[KhnomKhnom]

Count the unjustified slags on Thailand and Thai air.

BUCKLE UP all the time and make the fat folks around you do same or they will land on you coming back down from a bump. Even a baby in arms can break your neck at velocity. All passengers buckled, then only crew gets to bounce around........ watch for them coming down, too.

[humqdpf]

It's no wonder they are losing money considering a flight with 227 people requires 22 Thai crew members. WOW.

Some of the crew may be on shift, with some of them actually sleeping on the flight (common on long haul) or rotating to another flight or went off their shift in Narita.

[bangon04]

Cruising at 21,000 feet?? Isn't that highly inefficient in terms of fuel consumption?

As the turbulence occurred early in the flight, it would indicate that the airplane was climbing out of NRT as it went to its cruising altitude of 36,000 feet. (That's what the flight record shows.)

So it was just poor English in the report.... the plane was not cruising, it was climbing.

[Si Thea01]

Lucky bastards had crews on thier plane. Last time I flew thai they only had one crew on board.

Is this another one of your gee ups Chooka as regulations stipulate that a flight is required to have a minimum of 1 flight attendant per 50 seats, plus flight crew? So what did you fly in, a two seat Cessna? Minimum, two flight crew. normally three, but .dependant on the type of aircraft. Either you are having a lend, or just being plain fanciful. Which is it because unless there is a minimum flight crew and cabin attendants, the aircraft would not be allowed to fly?

[bangon04]

A very bad day for THAI. Four more injured passengers at Hong Kong onboard an arriving Phuket-Hong Kong flight. Somehow neither the parking brake was set nor were the wheel chocks in place, resulting in the aircraft rolling unattended about 30 meters backward from the gate. It's not really difficult to get it right if procedures are followed.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1724590/passengers-hurt-parked-thai-airways-plane-goes-unexpected-ride-hong?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=outbrain&utm_campaign=OutbrainCampaign-Generic-Desktop

The pilot or co pilot or whoever should lose their job over this . Its like not having the handbrake on in your car, on an incline with passengers.

Yes it is a breach of protocol by the flight crew. But as for the injured passengers - The seatbelt sign is there for a reason. The announcements are also made clearly. Keep your seatbelts fastened until the light is switched off.

It very often happens that Chinese passengers jump up while the plane is still taxiing, ignore the crew instructions and start getting ready to leave the aircraft (trying to jump the queue?) and in such cases it is clearly the fault of the passengers if they are standing up when the plane moves.

Edited February 27, 2015 by bangon04

[rotary]

It's no wonder they are losing money considering a flight with 227 people requires 22 Thai crew members. WOW.

Depends on the configuration of the cabin, and the number of exits. The standard is 1 FA to 50 seats (loaded or MT), NOT PAX.. BUT some Countries go up to 1 FA per 36 seats. Then there is the flight crew to be included.

Obviously, there was crew returning Home Pax. That is very very common, when allowable hours expire, or flights are cancelled. etc etc

Considering Thai wages are pretty low, I am sure, the wages bill on that flight is hardly a concern, as most people on here bitch about the high prices Thai charge. Thai, like Singapore, built it's business on service... that service isn't so great now, but is still miles ahead of other airlines I have used over the years.

Try United Airlines sometime and experience grumpy service with prison cuisine

[tigermonkey]

A very bad day for THAI. Four more injured passengers at Hong Kong onboard an arriving Phuket-Hong Kong flight. Somehow neither the parking brake was set nor were the wheel chocks in place, resulting in the aircraft rolling unattended about 30 meters backward from the gate. It's not really difficult to get it right if procedures are followed.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1724590/passengers-hurt-parked-thai-airways-plane-goes-unexpected-ride-hong?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=outbrain&utm_campaign=OutbrainCampaign-Generic-Desktop

The pilot or co pilot or whoever should lose their job over this . Its like not having the handbrake on in your car, on an incline with passengers.

Yes it is a breach of protocol by the flight crew. But as for the injured passengers - The seatbelt sign is there for a reason. The announcements are also made clearly. Keep your seatbelts fastened until the light is switched off.

It very often happens that Chinese passengers jump up while the plane is still taxiing, ignore the crew instructions and start getting ready to leave the aircraft (trying to jump the queue?) and in such cases it is clearly the fault of the passengers if they are standing up when the plane moves.

Sorry but I am hard pressed to agree with your point of view. The aircraft had finished its taxi , was in position for de-planing of passengers and had shut down engines. In most companies. the seat belt sign is turned off at the end of the sequence of shutting down engines. Part of that sequence is "Set Parking Brake". At that point the ground crew will position the Jetway to allow passengers to exit.

Either the parking brake was never set ( provided it was functioning), or the flight crew turned it off, believing that the ground crew had already placed the wheel chocks. In either case, it was sheer sloppiness by the aircrew. I've always abhorred the stampede for the aisles to get off the aircraft, and have even seen passengers injured by the stampede, or falling bags. None of this excuses the error by the flight crew. They were very lucky that there was not another aircraft taxiing past behind them.

[FiestyFarang]

Last time I flew to London on a dirty Thai Airways 747 with the seat dark brown from a coffee stain I asked if I could move but the flight was full and he looked at me as though I was making too much fuss. I would like to see him pay $1500 to sit in a filthy seat for 12 hours. Never flown them since, Singapore Airlines etc a totally different league. More modern planes A380 on the route more helpful staff, Thai having flown them many times the staff are arrogant, unhelpful and rude. I was exactly 5 minutes late at Heathrow and the check in staff were still there they really could not give a flying <deleted> and said they had weighted the plane so I could not get on. As though one man would affect a 747 weight to any extent.Terrible airlines even budget carriers are better like Jetstar to Singapore, modern planes with clean leather seats.

[alanrchase]

Last time I flew to London on a dirty Thai Airways 747 with the seat dark brown from a coffee stain I asked if I could move but the flight was full and he looked at me as though I was making too much fuss. I would like to see him pay $1500 to sit in a filthy seat for 12 hours. Never flown them since, Singapore Airlines etc a totally different league. More modern planes A380 on the route more helpful staff, Thai having flown them many times the staff are arrogant, unhelpful and rude. I was exactly 5 minutes late at Heathrow and the check in staff were still there they really could not give a flying <deleted> and said they had weighted the plane so I could not get on. As though one man would affect a 747 weight to any extent.Terrible airlines even budget carriers are better like Jetstar to Singapore, modern planes with clean leather seats.

Full 747 is never a good flight. I agree that I should have a leather seat.

[gerry1011]

So many pathetic posters on this forum.

Unbelievable.

Turbulences related incidents like this one occur, and are reported in the news, several times a year, in every part of the world.

Instead of wishing the passengers quick recovery... many here just happily grab the opportunity to bash Thai, the pilots, Thailand, ... and even politicians (while there are no "active" politicians in Thailand at the moment).

Pathetic really.

On my side, I fly Thai since many years and I am totally happy with it.

When it comes to the service itself, I personally much prefer Thai, with an inflated number of crew members, than these low cost airlines which employ just one flight attendant per 50 pax... And I hope it stays this way.

Personally I also keep my seatbelt loosely fastened - on any airline - during the flight, in case of.

I wish the passengers prompt recovery.

Edited February 27, 2015 by gerry1011

[GAS]

Nothing like a thread about TG to bring the Thai bashers out in full force!

Such a clueless bunch!

TG is going through some tough times and I hope it will get better soon. The hate for them by a lot of TV posters is really strange...

Steerage on a 744 with Thai sucks...guess what Lufthansa is worse, United about the same!

The whole VIP thing in F is so overblown, I have been upfront on probably 25 flights in the last 6 years, I can think of maybe 2 times there were some hi so freeloaders, usually it is way more farangs....and I have done a lot of the F routes, FRA, on the 380 and 744 multiple times, LHR, MUC, HKG, NRT, CDG (when they flew the leased Jet Airways 77W with the suites, miss those birds).

[alanrchase]

Nothing like a thread about TG to bring the Thai bashers out in full force!

Such a clueless bunch!

TG is going through some tough times and I hope it will get better soon. The hate for them by a lot of TV posters is really strange...

Steerage on a 744 with Thai sucks...guess what Lufthansa is worse, United about the same!

The whole VIP thing in F is so overblown, I have been upfront on probably 25 flights in the last 6 years, I can think of maybe 2 times there were some hi so freeloaders, usually it is way more farangs....and I have done a lot of the F routes, FRA, on the 380 and 744 multiple times, LHR, MUC, HKG, NRT, CDG (when they flew the leased Jet Airways 77W with the suites, miss those birds).

Gulf air used to lease Jet Airways for certain routs. Leather seats.

[watcharacters]

Lucky bastards had crews on thier plane. Last time I flew thai they only had one crew on board.

Did the pilot serve refreshments as well as fly and land the plane?

[gigman]

I don't understand this whole hatred to Thai air lanes....

Since 2013 i 've done 37 flights and 14 flights from Australia to BKK and guess what ?

Best service ever I had always on Thai flights !!!

On one of Thai flights I needed Ventolin(asthma treatment) which I forgot to take and at night flight one of Thai's stuff ladies spend around 30 minutes to find it in the bottom of the plane but she found it and she was very sorry because for some reason it was not in emergency box any unit factory sealed. (The was no emergency in my case hence she was looking for brand new)

Even ones at night flight I was gently covered with blanket when I fell in sleep.....IT MEANS SOMETHING ...?? ehhh?

For comparison...one of my flights I had was in Emirates plane (Air bus 380) where I had to fight with service people to get to the 1 class toilet when I had hay fever attack ...(I was in budget class but all toilets occupied) ...completely lack of common sense or maybe brain ...

I think some people need to see or try more frequent flying in many different lines...

[FredNL]

I just wonder how many of the 227 paid for their flight ???

[MrWorldwide]

The usual, and completely expected, boneheaded responses to this incident. I flew back from Narita last November with Thai and couldn't fault the service levels - some here need to grow up and accept that simply because this airline has suffered from poor management, the flight crew on this flight isnt automatically incompetent or careless. I cant think of anything worse than being responsible for a fully laden trolley with hot beverages on the top when the plane starts pitching : show some bloody compassion for once in your miserable existences.

[Tywais]

Incidents of airliners hitting turbulence seem to be increasing, say experts

Global climate changes likely to produce more 'choppy air,' not less; 'lap babies' at risk

Recently, airborne turbulence reminded anyone who has ever flown on a plane that it can do much more than spill drinks or mess up handwriting. At its worst, it can be deadly.

United Airlines Flight 1676, a Boeing 737 en route from Denver to Billings, experienced “pandemonium” when it encountered severe turbulence in late February. What one expert called “26 seconds of hell” injured six passengers and two crew members; one flight attendant was hospitalized after striking her head so hard she cracked a ceiling panel. News reports noted that an unsecured baby flew from its mother’s arms, but thankfully, landed safely in another row.

Despite technological advances in detecting and avoiding it, turbulence remains a threat to anything that flies, including civil, military and commercial aircraft of any size — and a range of experts believe global climate changes will be producing more incidents of turbulence.

Just three days after the United incident, eight people were hospitalized after a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747 hit turbulence over Japan. In January, another wide body — a Boeing 777, also operated by United — had to return to Newark Airport after five crew members were injured by turbulence.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, in-flight turbulence is the leading cause of injuries to airline passengers and flight attendants in nonfatal accidents. Every year as many as 58 people in the U.S. are injured while not wearing seat belts. From 1980 through 2008, U.S. airlines reported 234 turbulence events severe enough to be categorized as accidents, resulting in 298 serious injuries and three fatalities. Another 147 injuries happened between 2009 and 2011. Says the FAA: “At least two of the three fatalities involved passengers who were not wearing their seat belts while the seat belt sign was illuminated.”

More here - new.yahoo.com

[hhinhh]

Lucky bastards had crews on thier plane. Last time I flew thai they only had one crew on board.

Impossible, safety regulations require more crew on board than one. Perhaps all of them hung arround in the comfortable front cabin or the galley.

[Torrens54]

Lucky bastards had crews on thier plane. Last time I flew thai they only had one crew on board.

Even if they DO have more crew members, they can only be found in the Galley chatting or playing games.

[Mcffee]

Hopefully the Thai crew had the chance to cover the logo's with black paint during the flight.

[chooka]

Lucky bastards had crews on thier plane. Last time I flew thai they only had one crew on board.

Impossible, safety regulations require more crew on board than one. Perhaps all of them hung arround in the comfortable front cabin or the galley.

Yes they had a crew of people but didn't have more than one crew. Anyway they have fixed the original story to now reflect crew instead of crews. Staff and Staffs. Edited February 27, 2015 by chooka

[neverdie]

I don't understand this whole hatred to Thai air lanes....

Since 2013 i 've done 37 flights and 14 flights from Australia to BKK and guess what ?

Best service ever I had always on Thai flights !!!

On one of Thai flights I needed Ventolin(asthma treatment) which I forgot to take and at night flight one of Thai's stuff ladies spend around 30 minutes to find it in the bottom of the plane but she found it and she was very sorry because for some reason it was not in emergency box any unit factory sealed. (The was no emergency in my case hence she was looking for brand new)

Even ones at night flight I was gently covered with blanket when I fell in sleep.....IT MEANS SOMETHING ...?? ehhh?

For comparison...one of my flights I had was in Emirates plane (Air bus 380) where I had to fight with service people to get to the 1 class toilet when I had hay fever attack ...(I was in budget class but all toilets occupied) ...completely lack of common sense or maybe brain ...

I think some people need to see or try more frequent flying in many different lines...

Emirates were correct. You should not be allowed to enter either business or first class to use their toilet. What were you thinking? Get into the line of the economy toilet.

Why do you need to visit the toilet because you are sneezing? Did you you sheet yourself? Don't you carry a handkerchief ? Hay fever is not a medical emergency.

People at the pointy end of the aircraft don't pay a premium so you can mess up their facilities and make them wait......entering their cabin is akin to stealing. Shame on you.

[ctrunfree]

A very bad day for THAI. Four more injured passengers at Hong Kong onboard an arriving Phuket-Hong Kong flight. Somehow neither the parking brake was set nor were the wheel chocks in place, resulting in the aircraft rolling unattended about 30 meters backward from the gate. It's not really difficult to get it right if procedures are followed.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1724590/passengers-hurt-parked-thai-airways-plane-goes-unexpected-ride-hong?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=outbrain&utm_campaign=OutbrainCampaign-Generic-Desktop

It looks like these were people who insisted in jumping up out of their seats and trying to push to the front before the captain turned off the seatbelt sign. Chinese, maybe?

[cookee68]

It's no wonder they are losing money considering a flight with 227 people requires 22 Thai crew members. WOW.

Depends on the configuration of the cabin, and the number of exits. The standard is 1 FA to 50 seats (loaded or MT), NOT PAX.. BUT some Countries go up to 1 FA per 36 seats. Then there is the flight crew to be included.

Obviously, there was crew returning Home Pax. That is very very common, when allowable hours expire, or flights are cancelled. etc etc

Considering Thai wages are pretty low, I am sure, the wages bill on that flight is hardly a concern, as most people on here bitch about the high prices Thai charge. Thai, like Singapore, built it's business on service... that service isn't so great now, but is still miles ahead of other airlines I have used over the years.

And also miles behind many other airlines that I have used over the years too

[FiestyFarang]

Nothing like a thread about TG to bring the Thai bashers out in full force!

Such a clueless bunch!

TG is going through some tough times and I hope it will get better soon. The hate for them by a lot of TV posters is really strange...

Steerage on a 744 with Thai sucks...guess what Lufthansa is worse, United about the same!

The whole VIP thing in F is so overblown, I have been upfront on probably 25 flights in the last 6 years, I can think of maybe 2 times there were some hi so freeloaders, usually it is way more farangs....and I have done a lot of the F routes, FRA, on the 380 and 744 multiple times, LHR, MUC, HKG, NRT, CDG (when they flew the leased Jet Airways 77W with the suites, miss those birds).

Economy upstairs on the A380 Singapore London is a different world than my experience on Thai. Actually I did 3 flights Cairns - Brisbane - Sing - London around 23 hours in the air. A380 had comfortable seats with built in video as did the A330 Bne - Sin, reclining seat with footrest on the A380 and clean. Upstairs was a lot quieter, not sure if they still have Econ upstairs. Thai tired plane, unfriendly staff........

[tlesher]

Some rather astonishing misinformation here. They hit turbulence about 175 miles (280 km) northeast of Bangkok at around 21,000 feet while descending for landing from their cruise altitude of 34,000 feet. This was about 7 hours into a 7-1/2 hour flight. There were 2 pilots and 22 cabin attendants on board. "Crew" is a collective noun -- it could refer to anything from one person to any number at all. "Flight crew" usually refers to just the pilots, and 2 is standard for a flight of this duration. When that guy says he flew with just one crew on board, I would have to ask how many crew members that entailed. 22 cabin attendants does seem like a lot for this kind of flight, and I would guess many were just deadheading back home.