Malaysia Airlines simply can’t catch a break and these next few months may prove crucial for the besieged air craft. A Malaysia Airlines aircraft heading from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul was forced to divert to Hong Kong after suffering electrical problems. Needless to say this development comes at a bad time for a company that is still searching for a missing airliner.
Given that the Malaysian government and Malaysia Airlines are both struggling to deal with the missing Boeing 777, this relatively minor incident comes at a terrible time. Airline companies suffering from accidents often take major hits to their bottom line and brand reputation. Suffering from two serious incidents within a timespan of only a few weeks will only amplify the effects.
Boeing must have breathed a sigh of relief, however, as the aircraft was a Airbus plane. Another strike against Boeing would severely tarnish the company’s reputation. The missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft, which many experts believe crashed into the Indian Ocean, was a Boeing 777. The airplane involved in the latest incident was an Airbus A330-300
Malaysia Airline’s incident “uneventful” and all passengers safe
The aircraft suffered an electrical malfunction and was forced to switch to auxiliary power. The aircraft touched down in Hong Kong without any issues and all 271 passengers landed safely. Passengers were than rerouted to other aircraft carriers.
The return flight for the aircraft was also canceled and passengers were rerouted. The incident occurred after the plane left at 11:37 PM (local time) March 23 and the plane was forced to touch down at about 3 AM in Hong Kong. The plane was scheduled to land in Seoul at 6:50 AM (local time).
Response so far has been terse
Unsurprisingly, Malaysia Airlines released only a terse statement confirming the basic details of the incident. Malaysia Airlines has been struggling these last few years to produce profits as low cost carriers have cut into its business and the airline industry itself is known for being especially cutthroat.
The Malaysian government has not responded to the issue yet either. So far, the Malaysian government has been heavily criticized for its handling of the missing aircraft incident. Foreign governments and families of the victims have accused the government of not being forthright with information.
While the incident must have certainly caused a scare among the passengers on board, no one was harmed and all passengers were rerouted. The company has not yet announced any compensation or other measures.
