Thai Airways flight diverted to Sydney, captain clarifies decision

A Thai Airways captain faced criticism over a decision to divert a Bangkok-Melbourne flight to Sydney due to poor visibility, sparking online debate.

The incident occurred on January 28 when the flight was unable to land in Melbourne as planned. A passenger, claiming extensive flying experience, posted a complaint on Facebook accusing the captain of not carrying enough fuel and lacking assertiveness with air traffic control (ATC).

However, the captain, known as Faisal, responded in detail, explaining standard aviation procedures and fuel regulations. Eventually, the passenger retracted the post and publicly apologised for any misunderstanding caused by their initial complaint.

On January 28, Thai Airways flight TG465 from Bangkok was scheduled to land in Melbourne but instead touched down in Sydney at 8.51am local time, due to low visibility and thick fog at the intended destination. The decision to divert was made after less than 20 minutes of attempting to land in Melbourne, as the flight was running low on fuel.

The circumstances led to heated discussions on social media when a passenger, who frequently flew the route, questioned the captain’s judgement. The passenger’s post suggested that other flights were landing in Melbourne without issue, as clear skies were visible through the aircraft windows.

In response, Captain Faisal, who runs a popular Facebook page followed by over 210,000 people, clarified the situation. He explained that the weather in Melbourne was indeed poor, with visibility down to 200 metres, and that several other flights were also diverted at the same time.

Legal requirements

He stressed that weather reports for aviation are specialised and not included in standard smartphone weather apps. Captain Faisal further addressed the accusations by stating that the fuel on board complied with legal requirements and that the decision to divert was in line with universal safety standards. He also addressed the language proficiency of Thai pilots, stating that they must pass aviation English exams to be allowed to fly.

The passenger later deleted the original post and issued an apology after learning more about the complexities of aviation operations and the specific weather conditions that led to the captain’s decision. They expressed regret for the hastily written message and planned to apologise personally to the captain and Thai Airways management upon returning to Thailand, reported Sanook.

The Airbus A350-900 aircraft eventually left Sydney at 10.29am local time and arrived in Melbourne at 11.41am, resulting in a longer than usual journey for the passengers. The flight duration from Sydney to Melbourne was 1 hour and 12 minutes, arriving later than the scheduled 7.20am arrival time in Melbourne.

In related news, Thai Airways elevated travel with double-daily Sydney-Bangkok flights on the luxurious A350, offering comfort, style, and seamless European connections.