Singapore Airlines to continue review of inflight safety processes following turbulence incident

In-flight meal services will now be suspended when the seat-belt sign lights up on a Singapore Airlines plane as part of efforts to take a more cautious approach to managing turbulence in the air, a spokesperson said.

Singapore: In-flight meal services will now be suspended when the seatbelt sign lights up on a Singapore Airlines plane to better manage turbulence in the air, an airline spokesperson has said, days after severe weather forced a flight to make an emergency landing in Bangkok with one dead and 60 injured.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it will continue to review inflight security processes, giving utmost importance to the safety of passengers and crew following last Tuesday's incident.

"The SIA will continue to review our processes as the safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance", The Straits Times quoted a spokesman for the flag carrier as saying on Thursday.

In-flight meal services will now be suspended when the seat-belt sign lights up on a Singapore Airlines plane as part of efforts to take a more cautious approach to managing turbulence in the air, the spokesperson said.

Cabin crew will also sit down and fasten their seat belts when the seat-belt sign is lit, the SIA said on May 23.

Unlike in the past, when only hot drinks would be cut off during turbulence, the new measures would require all meal and drink services to stop when the ride gets bumpy.

Other existing safety measures that kick in during poor weather conditions, including getting crew members to secure loose items in the cabin, advising passengers to return to their seats and buckle up, and monitoring, will remain in place.

On May 21, Flight SQ321, which was heading to Singapore from London, experienced sudden severe turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar during the breakfast service.

One passenger - 73-year-old Briton Geoffrey Kitchen - died, and dozens were injured.

The pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted the Boeing 777-300ER carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, where the plane made an emergency landing at 3.45 pm (4.45 pm Singapore time).

It is the first SIA aviation accident involving a fatality since the SQ006 crash in Taiwan in October 2000.

Meanwhile, SIA has apologised to the injured passengers who say they had no information from the airline.

Keith Davis, an Australian passenger, on May 23 complained to the media that he had not heard from any SIA staff since he was hospitalised, according to local reports.

Another Singaporean, who was previously in the Intensive Care Unit at a Bangkok hospital, has been discharged while 48 passengers from Flight SQ321 remain warded.

According to an update from Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, 34 passengers remain warded in its premises as of noon on May 24, with another 12 at the Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital and two at the Bangkok Hospital.

The 34 warded at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital – comprising 14 males and 20 females – are from countries such as Australia, Britain, Malaysia, and the Philippines, according to media reports.

Singapore Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said on Friday he was relieved that passengers who were injured when the Singapore Airlines plane encountered severe turbulence were recovering and that some had already been discharged from the hospital and returned home.

He said investigators from Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) were going through data from the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder.

"We await the investigation findings to understand what happened during those moments", the Singapore Daily quoted Chee as saying.

Investigators from TSIB, a department of the Transport Ministry responsible for investigating air, marine and rail accidents and incidents, had arrived in Bangkok on the night of May 21.

Asked what support the government is providing to the Singaporeans who remain in Bangkok, Chee said, "We will continue to provide whatever support and assistance that is necessary, working closely with the SIA and also the Thai authorities to bring the passengers and crew home as soon as possible". He praised the cabin crew on SQ321, noting that they continued to look after and help passengers despite being injured themselves.

"I am truly appreciative and grateful to all the crew members for their dedication and their professionalism", he said.

A dedicated customer care representative is in contact with the couple to provide updates and assistance, said SIA, adding that it has also made arrangements for their family members to travel to Bangkok.

"We remain committed to supporting all passengers and crew members who were on board SQ321, as well as their family members and loved ones", said SIA.