Thailand crash linked to budget airline boom

Dozens of new airlines have been popping up across Asia to meet the industry’s booming demand, but a string of deadly accidents has raised fresh concerns about safety – from pilot shortages to the quality of budget carriers.

A 23-year-old Derry man was among those killed during yesterday’s plane crash in Thailand.

The Indonesian pilot of the One-Two-Go Airlines plane that skidded off the runway and burst into flames on Thailand’s resort island of Phuket, killing him and 88 others, was among scores who have fled their home countries in recent years for better-paying jobs.

The former air force pilot had worked for two now-defunct airlines in Indonesia, including one owned by former dictator Suharto’s son. But the country still has 51 carriers, up from a dozen several years ago, illustrating how rapidly the industry is growing in the world’s largest region.

“As disposable income increases and economies grow, more people within Asia are travelling,” said Richard Pinkham, of the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. “That is what is driving low-cost carrier growth.”

It’s too early to say what caused Flight OG269 to crash in stormy weather, although one aviation expert, citing Thai aviation officials, said the pilot reportedly asked to circle around again because he could not see the runway, but the plane was already too low.

“It was hit by wind shear or strong winds and he didn’t have time to react,” said Tom Ballantyne, chief corespondent for Orient Aviation magazine, adding that the bigger question was whether the airport should have been allowing planes to land in such weather.

Many of the victims were foreigners, heading to one of Asia’s top tourist destinations, which is now served by eight low-cost carriers. Only big international airlines, like Thai Airways, flew there a few years ago.

Ballantyne urged travellers to do their homework when choosing flights.

“Look for accidents or safety issues,” Ballantyne said. He also recommended airlines connected to strong parent companies – such as Jetstar, operated by Australia’s Qantas Airways, or Tiger Airways, which is 49 per cent owned by Singapore Airlines.

“Look at the sort of planes the airline is operating. Are they new or old? What is the background of the airline?”

One-Two-Go Airlines is tied to Thailand’s Orient-Thai Airlines, which has had its own share of problems over the past few years. One plane nearly clipped a tower in Tokyo’s city centre while landing and others were issued warnings in South Korea for having outdated passenger safety manuals, he said.