Dozens of workers toiled all night to free a Thai Airways International Airbus and reopen Khon Kaen airport, which was forced to close for a day.
An Airbus 330-300 operated by Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) slipped off the taxiway while preparing for takeoff at Khon Kaen airport Monday night, halting all airport operations. No one was hurt in the incident. — Pattanapong Hirunard
The airport resumed normal operations early Wednesday after a full day of closure. Officials waited until after dawn to reopen runway operations, to allow a full inspection.
The airline reported just before 3am Wednesday that it had finished removing its Airbus 330-300, which went off the tarmac while preparing for takeoff on Monday night.
Engineers and executives supervised the operation, which began Tuesday afternoon after the arrival of specialty equipment to pull the aircraft from where it was mired, beside the runway.
THAI "will investigate the reason for this incident", including whether it was from human error or a problem with the aircraft itself, the statement said.
Passengers get off from Air Asia's aircraft arrived at Khon Kaen airport on Wednesday morning. (Photo by Pattanaporn Hirunard)
Earlier report
Khon Kaen airport remained closed on Tuesday to allow Thai Airways International to move its Airbus 330-300, which ran off the taxiway on Monday night.
Civil Aviation Department director-general Somchai Piputwat said the aircraft would be moved Tuesday afternoon. Since the operation was expected to be finished in one day, the airport will resume normal operation on Wednesday, he said.
THAI's flight TG047 bound for Bangkok was taxiing for takeoff at the time of the mishap, about 8pm on Monday. The two pilots, 14 other crew members and 248 passengers were safe and no damage was reported to cargo or baggage.
Mr Somchai said the incident affected 11 flights and about 3,500 passengers using the airport. THAI and other airlines such as Nok Air and Air Asia have switched to Udon Thani airport, about 110 kilometres away, for today's flights.
Pratana Patanasiri, THAI’s vice-president for aviation safety, security and standards department, said the aircraft was making a turn for the runway when a wheel slipped off the tarmac. Since the plane could not be moved, the airport had to close runway operations.
Athaya Larpmak, director of Khon Kaen airport, said all passengers on the flight were transferred to the terminal from where the plane was 2km away. Some went to a hotel to await a Thai Smile flight to Bangkok on Tuesday, but others demanded ticket refunds so they could cancel their travel plans.
Immediately after the incident, Nok Air fight DD9820 was forced to land in Udon Thani instead of Khon Kaen. The 150 passengers awaiting that plane's return to Bangkok were taken by bus to Udon Thani to catch their flight.