Phuket Air in Trouble!

Most of Phuket Air’s fleet grounded amid safety concerns
Leithen Francis, Singapore (13Apr05, 08:00 GMT, 473 words)

Phuket Air’s flight schedule is in disarray today as 11 of its 16 aircraft are grounded following a call from Thailand’s Transport Ministry for the carrier’s fleet to be inspected following operational incidents that raised safety concerns.

Executive VP Capt Chawanit Chiamcharoenvut tells ATI Phuket Air has only one of its two Boeing 737-200s, one of its eight Boeing 747-200/300s, its single Boeing 757-200 and two of its five NAMC YS-11s operating today.

Of the seven grounded 747-200/300s, at least four are in Indonesia undergoing heavy maintenance checks at GMF AeroAsia, says Chawanit.

Phuket Air has had to cancel some flights and is offering refunds in accordance with international regulations, says Chawanit, who adds that today the carrier has services to some domestic destinations as well as to London Gatwick.

He says Thailand’s Ministry of Transport this week has been inspecting Phuket Air’s aircraft – two per day on average – and insists the inspections apply to other airlines too, “not just Phuket Air”.

Chawanit also says the carrier’s “safety is up to standard”. The Bangkok Post newspaper today quotes Thailand’s deputy transport minister, Phumtham Vejjayachi, as saying the carrier could lose its licence if it fails to improve its operations.

This week’s aircraft inspections were sparked by incidents earlier this month in which Phuket Air 747-200/300s experienced mechanical troubles that came to the attention of passengers as well as civil aviation authorities in Thailand and overseas.

The latest incident reportedly occurred on 9 April, when a 747-200 that was due to depart from Bangkok for Amsterdam was found to have had a hydraulic problem. It was the same aircraft that experienced an engine problem on 6 April soon after leaving London Gatwick. On that occasion the crew decided to return to London Gatwick rather than continue operating the aircraft on only three of the four engines.

On 3 April there was an incident involving another Phuket Air 747, which was delayed at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates en route to London Gatwick. The 747 in question completed a scheduled refuelling stop in Sharjah and was about to take off with 366 passengers on board when fuel spilled from the vent of a surge tank.

“At that time, a few passengers…panicked, misunderstood [the situation] and [incorrectly] screamed fire,” says Chawanit.

“A flight attendant then reported to the pilot the situation” on board the aircraft so “the pilot then decided to return to the parking bay” and have the aircraft undergo a “thorough examination” in Sharjah while the passengers waited in hotels. The next morning passengers boarded the aircraft for London Gatwick, he says.

Some news reports in Thailand say the UK CAA inspected the aircraft upon arrival and discovered inoperative evacuation safety lights. These reports say the CAA let the aircraft return to Bangkok but authorities insisted that no passengers be carried.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

See the above…obviously not too open to bribes then 😉

Most of Phuket Air’s fleet grounded amid safety concerns
Leithen Francis, Singapore (13Apr05, 08:00 GMT, 473 words)

Phuket Air’s flight schedule is in disarray today as 11 of its 16 aircraft are grounded following a call from Thailand’s Transport Ministry for the carrier’s fleet to be inspected following operational incidents that raised safety concerns.

Executive VP Capt Chawanit Chiamcharoenvut tells ATI Phuket Air has only one of its two Boeing 737-200s, one of its eight Boeing 747-200/300s, its single Boeing 757-200 and two of its five NAMC YS-11s operating today.

Of the seven grounded 747-200/300s, at least four are in Indonesia undergoing heavy maintenance checks at GMF AeroAsia, says Chawanit.

Phuket Air has had to cancel some flights and is offering refunds in accordance with international regulations, says Chawanit, who adds that today the carrier has services to some domestic destinations as well as to London Gatwick.

He says Thailand’s Ministry of Transport this week has been inspecting Phuket Air’s aircraft – two per day on average – and insists the inspections apply to other airlines too, “not just Phuket Air”.

Chawanit also says the carrier’s “safety is up to standard”. The Bangkok Post newspaper today quotes Thailand’s deputy transport minister, Phumtham Vejjayachi, as saying the carrier could lose its licence if it fails to improve its operations.

This week’s aircraft inspections were sparked by incidents earlier this month in which Phuket Air 747-200/300s experienced mechanical troubles that came to the attention of passengers as well as civil aviation authorities in Thailand and overseas.

The latest incident reportedly occurred on 9 April, when a 747-200 that was due to depart from Bangkok for Amsterdam was found to have had a hydraulic problem. It was the same aircraft that experienced an engine problem on 6 April soon after leaving London Gatwick. On that occasion the crew decided to return to London Gatwick rather than continue operating the aircraft on only three of the four engines.

On 3 April there was an incident involving another Phuket Air 747, which was delayed at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates en route to London Gatwick. The 747 in question completed a scheduled refuelling stop in Sharjah and was about to take off with 366 passengers on board when fuel spilled from the vent of a surge tank.

“At that time, a few passengers…panicked, misunderstood [the situation] and [incorrectly] screamed fire,” says Chawanit.

“A flight attendant then reported to the pilot the situation” on board the aircraft so “the pilot then decided to return to the parking bay” and have the aircraft undergo a “thorough examination” in Sharjah while the passengers waited in hotels. The next morning passengers boarded the aircraft for London Gatwick, he says.

Some news reports in Thailand say the UK CAA inspected the aircraft upon arrival and discovered inoperative evacuation safety lights. These reports say the CAA let the aircraft return to Bangkok but authorities insisted that no passengers be carried.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

See the above…obviously not too open to bribes then 😉

I think that the appropriate people to decide whether Phuket Air should or should not resume services to the UK are those from the Department for Transport, not us armchair aircraft engineers. With very few exceptions, the aviation industry operates on the principal that if an airplane (or airline) is judged as being satisfactory by the authority in the country in which is it based, it is OK everywhere else – if this principal was not true, we would never have seen any Russian aircraft in the UK because almost every one of their designs would not have gotten a western certificate of airworthiness.

In exceptional circumstances the Department for Transport may inspect and bar certain airlines, certain aircraft, or all aircraft from certain countries from operating into the UK. It has been reported that inspections of Phuket Air planes were made at LGW, and whilst ever a banning order is not in place (as it already is for a very few airlines) then I see no reason why Phuket Air should not continue to operator or be barred from the UK. Beyond that, it is for the Thai authorities to decide whether Phuket Air retains its operating licence, or not.

Andy

Whilst i agree with you above, but isnt it possible, that in some country in the world (i’m not going to name any examples) that aviation safety inspectors are open to bribes to grant operating certificates or maintanence safety inspections?…. There some country’s out there, on every continent on this planet, where the appropriate authorities are v.poorly paid and they look at ways of “increasing there incomes”

I think that the appropriate people to decide whether Phuket Air should or should not resume services to the UK are those from the Department for Transport, not us armchair aircraft engineers. With very few exceptions, the aviation industry operates on the principal that if an airplane (or airline) is judged as being satisfactory by the authority in the country in which is it based, it is OK everywhere else – if this principal was not true, we would never have seen any Russian aircraft in the UK because almost every one of their designs would not have gotten a western certificate of airworthiness.

In exceptional circumstances the Department for Transport may inspect and bar certain airlines, certain aircraft, or all aircraft from certain countries from operating into the UK. It has been reported that inspections of Phuket Air planes were made at LGW, and whilst ever a banning order is not in place (as it already is for a very few airlines) then I see no reason why Phuket Air should not continue to operator or be barred from the UK. Beyond that, it is for the Thai authorities to decide whether Phuket Air retains its operating licence, or not.

Andy

Whilst i agree with you above, but isnt it possible, that in some country in the world (i’m not going to name any examples) that aviation safety inspectors are open to bribes to grant operating certificates or maintanence safety inspections?…. There some country’s out there, on every continent on this planet, where the appropriate authorities are v.poorly paid and they look at ways of “increasing there incomes”

I think that the appropriate people to decide whether Phuket Air should or should not resume services to the UK are those from the Department for Transport, not us armchair aircraft engineers. With very few exceptions, the aviation industry operates on the principal that if an airplane (or airline) is judged as being satisfactory by the authority in the country in which is it based, it is OK everywhere else – if this principal was not true, we would never have seen any Russian aircraft in the UK because almost every one of their designs would not have gotten a western certificate of airworthiness.

In exceptional circumstances the Department for Transport may inspect and bar certain airlines, certain aircraft, or all aircraft from certain countries from operating into the UK. It has been reported that inspections of Phuket Air planes were made at LGW, and whilst ever a banning order is not in place (as it already is for a very few airlines) then I see no reason why Phuket Air should not continue to operator or be barred from the UK. Beyond that, it is for the Thai authorities to decide whether Phuket Air retains its operating licence, or not.

Andy

I think that the appropriate people to decide whether Phuket Air should or should not resume services to the UK are those from the Department for Transport, not us armchair aircraft engineers. With very few exceptions, the aviation industry operates on the principal that if an airplane (or airline) is judged as being satisfactory by the authority in the country in which is it based, it is OK everywhere else – if this principal was not true, we would never have seen any Russian aircraft in the UK because almost every one of their designs would not have gotten a western certificate of airworthiness.

In exceptional circumstances the Department for Transport may inspect and bar certain airlines, certain aircraft, or all aircraft from certain countries from operating into the UK. It has been reported that inspections of Phuket Air planes were made at LGW, and whilst ever a banning order is not in place (as it already is for a very few airlines) then I see no reason why Phuket Air should not continue to operator or be barred from the UK. Beyond that, it is for the Thai authorities to decide whether Phuket Air retains its operating licence, or not.

Andy

Yep, I certianly agree with the last post, was a fantastic move on your part to change airlines, hope you have a better flight home 🙂

Yep, I certianly agree with the last post, was a fantastic move on your part to change airlines, hope you have a better flight home 🙂