Frightful 35 mins for 280 TG 415 passengers

By: Eunice Au and Jolene Foo (Nov 09, 2007)  The Sun

PETALING JAYA (Nov 8, 2007): About 280 Thai Airways' passengers were badly shaken when their Airbus took dives after two of its four jet engines were believed to have malfunctioned in mid-air on Tuesday (Nov 6).

Flight TG 415 lifted off from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport for Kuala Lumpur at about 9.20am, with an almost full load comprising scores of Malaysians, when the engines went dead near Haadyai after an hour.

The loss of 50% engine power sent the aircraft diving up and down like a yo-yo amid screaming passengers. It also triggered the air-conditioning system to shut down.

Lucky for the passengers, the pilot managed to stabilise the aircraft after 35 minutes and sent out a S.O.S for an emergency landing on Haadyai International Airport. No injuries were reported.

Automobile businessman Datuk Davy Woo Nam Seng, who was travelling business class, told theSun: "It was the most terrifying experience of my life, and I believe it was so for all aboard.

"The plane started vibrating violently, went up and down like a yo-yo. It was most frightening, especially when the oxygen masks dropped from under the cabin compartments. Women and children from the economy class cabins were crying and screaming. They were enough to work on your emotions

."Things were dropping in the pantry when we were going up and down. There was some tension in the economy class but the chief steward was efficient in calming down those who were screaming.

"After a successful emergency landing, one of the air stewards told me that the incident was caused by engine malfunction."

"We were not told why the aircraft started vibrating violently. We were only told to put on our oxygen masks and tighten our belts. I really, really have the Lord to thank for keeping me with my family and friends."

Woo said there were at least two dozens of fire-engines, ambulances, police cars and airport vehicles lining the tarmac for a huge rescue job. "Praise God that the job was not necessary."

However, Woo said he needed to place on record the shabby treatment that "we received from Thai Airways in Haadyai Airport".

"We had to wait for about nine hours for another aircraft and a new crew from Bangkok to resume our journey home. That is understandable.

"What is not acceptable is that we were all given 100 baht (about RM10) food vouchers. The cheapest meal around was about 120 baht!" said Woo who was returning from a meeting on the Malaysian-made TD2000 vintage cars business.

BangkokPost.com reported on Tuesday, quoting Airways representative Suraphon Israngkula Na Ayudhya as saying TG 415 made an emergency landing on Haadyai after the pilot discovered a problem with the air pressure system.

He said the pilot requested an emergency landing on Haadyai airport at 10am, about an hour after the aircraft took off.

Thai Airways officials here could not be reached for comments today.

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