A PASSENGER on a low-cost airline had the scare of her life when she flew from Subang to Johor Baru recently.
Erin, who is a frequent flyer, said 20 minutes into the flight, a burning smell filled the air.
“I fly at least once a month to Johor Baru. In all my years of flying, I have never felt so scared.
“If someone were to ask me to choose between a bus ride and a flight to Johor Baru, I would have chosen the latter, because I have always felt safer flying.
That was until my recent experience.”
She said although the flight started out normal, it was shaky even when the sky was clear.
“I drifted off to sleep and was awoken by a burning smell.
When I opened my eyes, I could see we were flying above water and I tried to see if there was anything on fire, but couldn’t find anything.
“I looked around the cabin, hoping someone would say something, but nobody said a word,” she said.
She said when the plane turned back and landed at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, the pilot just apologised.
“I am disappointed not because of a flight cancelled and my plans disrupted, but at the apathy in the face of danger.
“Communication could and should be more transparent and swift. Surely, the safety of the passengers must be the priority.
“For me, I’m just happy to be on the ground again.
“But I won’t be flying anytime soon,” she said.
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When contacted, the low-cost carrier said the incident was due to a technical problem.
“We had detected a technical issue and standard procedures were carried out to ensure that aircraft returned to the ground.
“The passengers’ safety was our priority.”