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Noodle attack delays flight


ACHADTHAYA CHUENNIRAN

Phuket _ An angry passenger threw a cup of hot noodles at an air hostess after being asked not to use her mobile phone during takeoff from Bangkok yesterday.

The mid-air quarrel resulted in 200 passengers booked on the plane's return flight being kept waiting for nearly four hours at Phuket airport.

An airport official said the quarrel erupted on AirAsia flight FD3015, from Bangkok to Phuket, after a woman passenger tried to make a call on her mobile phone during takeoff.

The flight attendant asked her to turn off the phone but the passenger refused. The attendant insisted she not make the call as it was against flight regulations.

As the flight attendant turned her back to leave, the passenger threw a hot cup of noodles at her, hitting her in the back, according to the airport official.

The passenger later claimed the flight attendant called her names although she could not produce any eyewitnesses.

When the plane landed in Phuket, police were informed and the captain, flight attendant and passenger were told to report to police.

Meanwhile, 200 passengers were waiting to board the plane to return to Bangkok at the scheduled departure time of 5.45pm.

An irate passenger called the Bangkok Post at 8.15pm complaining they had not been informed of the reason for the delay.

``Some of us have overseas connecting flights to make, some have emergencies waiting at home and they told us nothing.

``Instead, they ask for police guards to ensure peace among us,'' said Chanthawipa Apisuk, secretary-general of Empower Foundation, an organisation working to protect the rights of sex workers. ``Our request for an explanation met with smiles from the ground crew and nothing else.''

AirAsia airport staff declined to comment.

The flight finally left at 9.15pm.