2 days ago
AirAsia flight ends up at different South Korean airport
While 'turbulence' had apparently forced the plane to divert to Gimpo, the manner in which the situation was handled had left passengers fuming. (Air Asia pic)
PETALING JAYA : Low-cost carrier AirAsia has been criticised after a flight from Kuala Lumpur to South Korea landed at the wrong airport.
AirAsia Flight D7 506 landed at Gimpo International Airport instead of Incheon Airport as scheduled, the Korea Herald reported.
While 'turbulence' had apparently forced the plane to divert to Gimpo, the manner in which the situation was handled had left passengers fuming.
According to passengers, the captain had announced that they had arrived at Incheon Airport, only for them to realise they were in fact at Gimpo when they looked out of the windows and checked their phones.
A passenger, identified as Lee Mi-hyun, said the cabin crew were unaware that they had landed at Gimpo 'until passengers told them'.
'One crew member even said she needed to call her parents, who were waiting for her at Incheon International Airport,' Lee was quoted as saying, adding that 'everyone panicked'.
She also claimed that the crew failed to adequately manage the situation during the two hours they had to wait before departing for Incheon.
She said stranded passengers were not offered water, leaving those with children upset.
'Some even said they would rather get off at Gimpo before the plane departed for Incheon.'
Lee said the captain and crew apologised over the public announcement system as the plane headed to Incheon.
Other passengers hit out at the airline for failing to provide a clear explanation.
A passenger, identified as Ryu, said during the two hours before departing for Incheon, no clear explanation was given over the landing error nor was there 'any effort to reassure passengers'.
AirAsia X, in a statement, clarified that the flight was diverted to Gimpo for refuelling following air traffic congestion at Incheon due to adverse weather conditions.
AirAsia said the captain followed standard operating procedures, including keeping passengers informed of the diversion in English initially.
However, there was a miscommunication in the cabin crew announcement upon landing, which the captain promptly clarified, it added.
AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said: 'We will also review our internal announcements and onboard information-sharing processes to ensure greater clarity in such situations.'
Benyamin said travel vouchers would be offered to affected passengers as a goodwill gesture.
