A Thai Airways A330-300 flight from Guangzhou (CAN) to Bangkok (BKK) skidded off the runway earlier today upon landing in Bangkok. Fourteen passengers were injured while evacuating the jet, and the airline says the cause of the accident is still under investigation. Strangely enough, the AP is reporting that:
After the accident, workers on a crane blacked out the Thai Airways logo on the tail and body of the aircraft. An airline official said it was part of an effort to protect its image under Star Alliance guidelines. Thai Airways official Smud Poom-On said that “blurring the logo” after an accident was a recommendation from Star Alliance known as the “crisis communication rule,” meant to protect the image of both the airline and other members of Star Alliance.
Courtesy AFP
Courtesy Reuters
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8 comments
These must be new guidelines after the Asiana crash in SFO. But then wouldn’t people figure this is a Thai Airways out based on the paint scheme and location of the incident BKK?
@Askmrlee – Perhaps and the fact that it occurred on US soil and the scene was under the direction of the NTSB. I don’t think they would have been too happy with altering the aircraft post incident.
Do they think people are stupid? Hello my 4yr old could id that as a Thai plane. It’s a game they teach them in pre-school maybe you’ve heard about it? It’s called picture match!
These types of guidelines have been around a long time in the world of crisis management, though obviously backfire for a “bigger” incident like this one where cameras are easily available and social media can get the word out very quickly – the perceived “cover-up” becomes the story. In the travel industry many tour operators, bus lines/coach companies, and adventure sports companies have similar policies.
Better yet, throw a big white sheet over it!
thai logic dictates if they can’t id the plane, the incident never happened.
after all, they don’t want to scare away all those chniese and russian tourists.
You can even match it to the airplane departing on the photo. haha
This happens all the time, I am quite surprised that there is even a single post about this, let alone the few I have already seen.