SIBU – A traveller has demanded an explanation from MYAirline and the KLIA Terminal 2 control tower after the pilot of his flight from here to Kuala Lumpur had to abort the landing moments before touching down yesterday.
Wong Ching Yong, who travels from Sibu to Kuala Lumpur at least once a month, also called on Transport Minister Anthony Loke to investigate this incident.
“I was on this flight today (yesterday). This was the first time I flew to Kuala Lumpur via MYAirline. The flight number was Z98202. It took off at Sibu Airport at 3.35pm, which was 10 minutes behind schedule.
“The journey was smooth and the weather enroute was fine. The plane was scheduled to touch down at 5.10pm and started to descend into Kuala Lumpur at 4.30pm. By 5pm, I looked out the window and could see the trees and grass field below.
“The captain reminded the crew to be seated and prepared for the landing. At that juncture, the sound of the engines suddenly roared very loudly and we could feel the plane pulling up at a steep angle.
“Many passengers were screaming at this sudden turn of events. The plane was climbing up whilst the sound of the engines was unbearably loud. The passengers sitting beside me were very stressed. I was stressed too.”
Wong, the deputy chairman of Sibu Rural District Council and a chartered accountant, added that moments later, the flight captain announced that he had to abort the landing because there was an aircraft on the runway.
He said that it was a shocking revelation by the captain who also apologised and informed the passengers that the plane would land 10 minutes later.
“This time, the plane landed at KLIA Terminal 2 without a hitch. The passengers complained to each other on the way out of the plane, as they were very angry and so was I.”
Saying that this was the first time that he had undergone such a traumatic experience, Wong said the public, especially the passengers, deserve an honest reply and explanation from the authorities.
“MYAirline and the control tower of KLIA need to explain to the public who is in the wrong, MYAirline or the control tower of KLIA Terminal 2.
“What caused this sort of aborted landing, which could be fatal to the passengers on board? Is it human or technical error, or adverse weather conditions or other unknown factors?
“What was the distance between the plane on the runway and today’s plane flight Z98202 approaching to land when the captain decided to abort the landing? Who alerted the pilot?
“Was it the control tower or the plane’s automatic alert system, or the pilot himself saw another plane on the runway?
“How frequently do similar incidents occur in KLIA and what steps would MyAirline and the control tower take to ensure that such incidents never occur again?”
The Borneo Post has contacted Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah and MYAirline for their response and is awaiting for their reply. – Borneo Post Online, February 28, 2023
