Singapore Airlines has adjusted its in-flight seatbelt sign policies and modified at least one flight route following a recent turbulence incident that resulted in one fatality and numerous injuries, according to airline and flight data.
In a statement to Channel News Asia, the airline announced a more cautious approach to turbulence. The measures include suspending the service of hot drinks and meals whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated.
“SIA will continue to review our processes, as the safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance,” the airline stated.
The incident occurred on flight SQ321, a Boeing 777-300ER traveling from London to Singapore with 211 passengers and 18 crew members. The flight diverted to Bangkok for an emergency landing after severe turbulence caused passengers and crew to be thrown around the cabin, with some hitting the ceiling.
Since the incident, the daily London-to-Singapore flight SQ321 has avoided the area over Myanmar where the turbulence occurred, opting instead to fly over the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. This change has not significantly affected the flight time, according to tracking data from FlightRadar 24.
Photographs from the plane’s interior showed extensive damage, including gashes in overhead cabin panels, oxygen masks and panels hanging from the ceiling, and luggage scattered around. A passenger reported that some individuals’ heads hit the lights above the seats, breaking the panels.
As of late Thursday, May 23, 46 passengers and two crew members were hospitalized in Bangkok; 19 of them remained in Bangkok, the airline said. Twenty of the 46 injured were in intensive care with a mix of spinal cord, brain, and skull injuries, according to an official at Bangkok’s Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital.
Singapore Airlines, renowned as one of the world’s leading airlines and a benchmark in the industry, has maintained a strong safety record in recent years without major incidents.
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