Phuket International Airport authorities evacuated all passengers and crew from a flight bound for Moscow on Sunday after a Russian passenger made remarks which triggered emergency response procedures and a five-hour delay.
Airport general manager Monrudee Gettuphan said the captain of Northwind Airlines flight NWS2478 aborted his take-off at 11.20am shortly after reversing the aircraft from Parking Bay No.6. He radioed to security officials to follow bomb threat protocols.
The captain told officials that a passenger, identified as Alexander Nosov, 25, wanted to get off the plane, claiming the aircraft was not safe. He told a flight attendant that “If I travel on this flight, the plane will not be safe”, according to Mrs Monrudee.
The Boeing 777-200ER was ordered to park in an isolated area to the west side of the airport. Security officials quickly disembarked the 369 passengers and 17 crew and unloaded all baggage. A thorough search of the passengers and inspection of the plane and 323 items of luggage found nothing that could pose a danger to the flight.
Mrs Monrudee said the plane took off at 4pm, about five hours late from its original schedule.
Mr Nosov was taken to Tha Chatchai police station for questioning. Police have not yet pressed charges against him. However the minimal offence he faces is giving false information causing panic on a parked aircraft under the Aviation Offences Act, which brings a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine of up to 200,000 baht.