News Forum - Nok Air explains shoddy evacuation of runaway plane in northern Thailand

[Thaiger]

Nok Air have made a public statement apologising to passengers who sat on a Boeing 737-800 for over an hour after it skidded off Chiang Rai International Airport’s runway on Saturday evening. Several passengers have expressed dissatisfaction with the evacuation procedure. Nok Air said the safety of passengers was the airlines “highest priority.” The airline said the reason it took so long to get the 164 passengers out of the aircraft was because the airline “followed the highest safety procedures.” Heavy rain and waterlogged ground outside the aircraft made it harder to navigate the evacuation too, said Nok Air. However, […]

The story Nok Air explains shoddy evacuation of runaway plane in northern Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[Morpheus]

Should have evacuated ASOP after engine shut down, some emergency vehicles should have arrived within 10 minutes with lighting, however, TIT who knows what services were available in a small rural town. This will be a wake up call for all domestic airlines. I wonder if the pilot assesed the runway, as in most countries the runway is chartered for pilots showing the conditions of the runway, eg, all weather good, poor in heavy rain, fair in light rain.

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

4 minutes ago, Morpheus said:

After an hour without air conditioning,

O boy! I sat on a A380 for 2 hours in Doha without aircon a couple of weeks ago. In fact, that's often the case on Qatar flights before takeoff, I try to board those flights as late as possible to avoid being soaked in sweat.  

[Dancbmac]

6 minutes ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

O boy! I sat on a A380 for 2 hours in Doha without aircon a couple of weeks ago. In fact, that's often the case on Qatar flights before takeoff, I try to board those flights as late as possible to avoid being soaked in sweat.  

That had to suck, as I lived in worked in Doha over decade ago and this time of year is extremely hot & humid over there.  However, this is the first time hearing this is a common occurrence for Qatar Air flights.  For me they have been usually the cheapest flight much of the time between here in Thailand to Atlanta, Georgia with the mandatory stop over at Doha.  Sometime Korean Air has been cheaper.  I’ve been a frequent flyer for Qatar Airlines for the last 13 years from when I lived there and never had a delay with the power off and no cabin AC.  I have experienced take off delays twice with that airlines due to airport traffic, once at JFK and the other at Doha, but never with no cabin AC.  Not saying it doesn’t happen, as Qatar Air planes are usually newer ones, but like in your case a couple weeks ago it is one too many when you are stuck in it. 

Hot military flights, now that is different story and is standard , or can be cold if not dress appropriately.

[Oracle]

Sometimes it's better to keep one's mouth shut.  First, Nok Air blames rain for the runway overrun (but short of a plane malfunction, it's pilot error...there are procedures to follow and choices to be made when landing in heavy rain).  Now, Nok Air comes-up with excuses for the shoddy, unprofessional evacuation.  This is one airline I will never, ever fly.  Don't understand why people are comparing Doha to Chiang Rai, Chang Rai at night is in the 70s.  But Qatar Air is "challenged" now, not enough planes, too many different types of planes, and not enough gates in an overwhelmed airport.

[Pinetree]

1 hour ago, Morpheus said:

Should have evacuated ASOP after engine shut down,

Not always and not necessarily.  It depends on the state of the aircraft,  the ground safety outside the aircraft, lighting conditions etc. If the Captain assesses that they are safer in the aircraft then out of it, he is right to hold them inside.  Passengers have been run over by emergency vehicles on more than one occasion after a hasty evacuation, they have also got lost and injured outside, when inside would have been safer.  Its the Captains call.  As to the overrun itself, who knows, nobody on here that' s for sure.