Thai Airlines Face Bans Over Possible Safety Issues

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Thailand admits 'urgent' need to improve aviation safety

BANGKOK: -- Thailand admitted Monday it "urgently" needs to improve airline safety procedures as several carriers face bans on new international flights after a UN aviation agency raised concerns.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/813195-japans-chartered-flight-ban-from-thailand-is-hurting-tourism-business/?p=9248639#entry9248639

[kinmaew]

"Painting over the logo"? Sounds like a bunch of Tuk Tuk drivers are running the airline. If that is their response to international air safety they should be banned in all countries, I will never fly with them again havent anyway in last 10 years in fact cant remember when I last did fly TG

Seems they will be at the mercy of farang now to lift their game as strictly stipulated by farang or big money lose....

[Forethat]

Covering the logo is standard procedure and performed by all airlines in case an aircraft is involved in an accident or incident. Not just Thai.

[Johnny S]

Thai Airways are still breathing but I hear the fat lady Warming up for the end

[Lupatria]

Thai Airways are still breathing but I hear the fat lady Warming up for the end

Problem is she's diagnosed "brain dead" same as TAT.

[wabothai]

Are they really asking to bend the regulations to improve on tourism figures?

[BestBitterPhuket]

If they want to do everything the "Thai" way, they can copy north korea's successful recipe for isolation. If they want to be part of the international community they need to follow international standards, and that can only be done copying foreign procedures and involving skilled foreigners where lacking.

[geriatrickid]

Perhaps I missed it, but I don't recollect seeing any similar announcement in regard to Malaysian airlines.

Until the recent two events, MH had a solid safety record. How can you compare one incident where an aircraft was shot down by Russian or a Russian aligned Ukrainian militia, and another incident that has yet to be resolved in part because of an industry issue to the Thai situation? Safety ratings are established over time, not based on a few incidents.

[Jiggo]

Covering the logo is standard procedure and performed by all airlines in case an aircraft is involved in an accident or incident. Not just Thai.

So no Aircraft carry any Logo's then.....what colour is the sky in your world....

[Echo Tango]

I'm curious why so many people are upset with Thai Airways because they covered their logo after their last mishap at BKK? It's a common practice in the USA and it was in my airlines SOP's that I flew for.

[arrowsdawdle]

IMHO - Thai International should be banned just for being STUPID. --- Painting over the logo puts them in the same classification as the suicidal bus companies of Thailand who paint over their unroadworthy junk having just killed the innocent.

Trying to save face is the supreme virtue in Thailand, as witnessed by hit and run drivers fleeing the scenes being fully acceptable.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

IMHO - Thai International should be banned just for being STUPID. --- Painting over the logo puts them in the same classification as the suicidal bus companies of Thailand who paint over their unroadworthy junk having just killed the innocent.

Trying to save face is the supreme virtue in Thailand, as witnessed by hit and run drivers fleeing the scenes being fully acceptable.

Aviation Thainess style:

www.geocities.ws/Tokyo/Subway/3537/4301/THA-TG261.html

http://www.investiga...om/timeline.php

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19870831-0

[fxe1200]

One issue was, it must had happened within the last years, the landing of a Thai Air flight with a broken strut inside the front landing gear structure. This strut was supposed to be exchanged every 11.000 flying hours, but the records showed, that it was not replaced. This incident also led to a placement of two new spirit houses at the end of the landing strip in Suvarnabhumi. The ICAO though refused to acknowledge the spirit house as a working safety measure for landing air planes. Even the protest note of Thai Airways and the AOT did not change the decision of the ICAO.

Edited March 30, 2015 by fxe1200

[dennnis]

Perhaps I missed it, but I don't recollect seeing any similar announcement in regard to Malaysian airlines.

Until the recent two events, MH had a solid safety record. How can you compare one incident where an aircraft was shot down by Russian or a Russian aligned Ukrainian militia, and another incident that has yet to be resolved in part because of an industry issue to the Thai situation? Safety ratings are established over time, not based on a few incidents.

You have proves that was shot down by Russian or a Russian aligned Ukrainian militia and not by Ukrainian forces??

[jobwolf]

Today Thai told me if I don't show up for a flight I may be charges no show. Now how the hell can they charge for something I already paid for?? Stupidity goes a long way. Try to phone them and find out, because I have to drive every single time from Patong to Phuket Town to get something changed and be able to talk to somebody.

[gandalf12]

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

....Thai Airways and AOT being bled....while breeding incompetence......they got away with it for too long.....

...but of course....nobody to blame...nobody to take responsibility....

You can take responsibility if you want. No one will be upset if you do

[AlQaholic]

"solutions to fix the problems found during the inspections will be implemented as soon as possible."

Are those the same solutions to the problems ICAO pointed out in 2010 that they ignored then???

Edited March 30, 2015 by AlQaholic

[T_Dog]

One thing that has always bothered me is all the cockpit videos taken by Thai Airways flight deck crew and posted on YouTube and other social media. To me it seems a violation of the "sterile cockpit" rule (Google it) and that practice is not aligned with focusing on safety and flying the aircraft. Pure distraction in the cockpit, and only good to make one look glamorous in some way.

[RubbaJohnny]

This I allready report 2 days ago in another topic!

What I read is , that one of the possible ban of Thai air flights is that stuff did not learn any saefty rules what you have to do in case of emergency, and the controll organizations also found out , that some certificates of crew members are faked!

Proberbly the also ban Thai , is that the always serve me cold menus during the last 2 flights!

When I want change, I got ignored , with a smiling yes sir we change ,

but the promised hot warm up menu never come !

Copyright by sandman77

I thought they use the Maginot techniqye ,talk tough then run away and cover up

Air transport

Thai Airways staff cover up plane's logo after accident

Official says move was to protect airline's image after 14 people were hurt when plane skidded off the runway at Bangkok

Associated Press in Bangkok

I all else fails calumny then flee

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/09/thai-airways-plane-runway-bangkok

[ChrisY1]

Whatever they decide or plan to do to rectify the current safety concerns..cannot be done overnight.

Most importantly, it seems, as reported they do not enough qualified inspectors........

For the past decade, they have been bumbling along without formal audits and been (getting away with) approving inspections.....obviously this has been discovered by the ICAO and flagged as a concern..........

The consequence of this attitude is now becoming apparent..........

Edited March 30, 2015 by ChrisY1

[baboon]

One issue was, it must had happened within the last years, the landing of a Thai Air flight with a broken strut inside the front landing gear structure. This strut was supposed to be exchanged every 11.000 flying hours, but the records showed, that it was not replaced. This incident also led to a placement of two new spirit houses at the end of the landing strip in Suvarnabhumi. The ICAO though refused to acknowledge the spirit house as a working safety measure for landing air planes. Even the protest note of Thai Airways and the AOT did not change the decision of the ICAO.

Well how many spirit houses do the ruddy ICAO want, then? Jeez...

[ChrisY1]

Today Thai told me if I don't show up for a flight I may be charges no show. Now how the hell can they charge for something I already paid for?? Stupidity goes a long way. Try to phone them and find out, because I have to drive every single time from Patong to Phuket Town to get something changed and be able to talk to somebody.

Then.....you should inform them of your lateness.........

All airlines work on a similar system...............it's only a phone call!!

[thhMan]

This is fantastic news....

Thailand needs a good spanking, so they begin to understand reality.

Its time to get out of the dark ages and replace witch doctors with qualified people

So..... you get enjoyment out of Thailand' misfortunes I take it?.....do you live here?

Yes I do... STill a newbie with 9 years full time, under my belt

I have to contend with sub services

Sometimes it takes a drop or 2 of rain to bring out a blackout... Yesterday the sky considered raining, but the electricity decided to do a blackout anyway.

Taking the exams and driving test for both car and bike was a complete joke... A disgrace to Thailands testing system

We had an internal door put in our home... The EXPERT took so much off the top of the door, that there is a massive inclining gap that lets all the mozzies into the kids room.

I could go on and on..., But I wont

Do I take enjoyment...? Not really, but I am really fed up with the BS that seems to be the norm... Unfortunately, it took a country to give Thailand the slapping it deserves... And I am sure, this wont be the last....

But I have a wonderful Thai wife and kids.. and love the country.... just not the stupidity of those that run it

[gandalf12]

thhMan, not sure which country you come from but I suggest you look at your own government before calling others names

[Sviss Geez]

What airlines do the planes in that pic fly for?

One more brilliant choice of completely irrelevant photo from Jacob Maslow.

[Sviss Geez]

What airlines do the planes in that pic fly for?

Only in Thailand would they write an article about airlines and show military jet fighters in the picture !!

Wrong, it's only Jacob Maslow that would do that. He's not Thai and he's probably not in Thailand.

Edited March 30, 2015 by Sviss Geez

[than]

It is a common practice to paint over the Logo following an incident, although it does no good unless you paint the whole aircraft. Everybody knows the Livery of most airlines.

Why is the "H" are they bringing up something that happened in 2013 ??

Further, until the IACO releases to the public there findings there is a lot of unnecessary posting about something no one knows about. From what I have read it may be directed at the Air Ministry and not the major airlines in Thailand.

But, as usual everybody has to take a punch !!

Thai airways is not the only carrier to paint logo after accident, Air France do the same in 1993 with an A340

http://www.airdisaster.com/photos/f-gnia/photo.shtml

[than]

IMHO - Thai International should be banned just for being STUPID. --- Painting over the logo puts them in the same classification as the suicidal bus companies of Thailand who paint over their unroadworthy junk having just killed the innocent.

If we follow your logic Air France would be ban too.......

http://www.airdisaster.com/photos/f-gnia/photo.shtml

[baboon]

It is a common practice to paint over the Logo following an incident, although it does no good unless you paint the whole aircraft. Everybody knows the Livery of most airlines.

Why is the "H" are they bringing up something that happened in 2013 ??

Further, until the IACO releases to the public there findings there is a lot of unnecessary posting about something no one knows about. From what I have read it may be directed at the Air Ministry and not the major airlines in Thailand.

But, as usual everybody has to take a punch !!

Thai airways is not the only carrier to paint logo after accident, Air France do the same in 1993 with an A340

http://www.airdisaster.com/photos/f-gnia/photo.shtml

I always thought that painting over the logo was normal procedure for every airline where possible?

[bkkcanuck8]

One thing that has always bothered me is all the cockpit videos taken by Thai Airways flight deck crew and posted on YouTube and other social media. To me it seems a violation of the "sterile cockpit" rule (Google it) and that practice is not aligned with focusing on safety and flying the aircraft. Pure distraction in the cockpit, and only good to make one look glamorous in some way.

Maybe you can point out some more egregious examples. I found a few from flight simulators, one that looked like a test flight, some that definitely came from the front camera (not actually inside the cockpit), one that looks like a mounted camera (not something that takes the pilots attention to handle) - that can give passengers a cockpit view of the plane on the entertainment systems.

Edited March 30, 2015 by bkkcanuck8