Over 400 flights affected after THAI Jumbo skidded off runway
In the wake of Monday’s slip-sliding Jumbo that ended up in the grass verge after skidding off the main runway at Suvarnabhumi, it’s been revealed that the wayward Thai Airways 747-400 delayed 448 arriving or departing flights.
The plane ended up with some of its wheels submerged in the soft grass.
Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisit says that the western runway ended up out of service from 12.30am to5 pm after Thai Airways International’s flight TG 679 inbound from Guangzhou, southern China, skidded off the runway and its left-side wheels got stuck. It was raining heavily at the time.
He said the temporary close of the western runway left the eastern runway the only runway still operating. The troubled runway was reopened at around 4 pm after mechanics succeeded in moving the plane out of the runway space.
The delayed flights included 179 incoming flights which were forced to stay airborne for some time before they could finally land and another 264 flights departing from the airport. Five flights were diverted to secondary airports.
At this stage no official word from Thai Airways about how the plane ended up off the runway.
