8-9-2023 (SINGAPORE) Passengers aboard Singapore Airlines (SIA) Flight SQ833, scheduled to depart Shanghai, China, on Wednesday afternoon, faced a prolonged ordeal as the flight was grounded due to technical problems, ultimately leading to its cancellation.
Responding to queries, an SIA spokesperson expressed regret, saying, “SIA sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience caused to customers by the flight cancellation of SQ833 on Sep 6, 2023.”
The flight, which was supposed to take off from Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 4.50 pm local time, encountered technical difficulties while still on the ground. Airbus A380, the aircraft used for this route, faced issues that required immediate attention.
A passenger, Annie Li, took to Facebook, sharing a video that depicted the challenging situation on board. In her post dated 1.45 am the next day, Li described passengers in the economy class section, many standing out of their seats, with insufficient air circulation and no air conditioning. She noted that passengers remained on the aircraft until 12.35 am, and the ordeal lasted more than 8 hours as engineers attempted to rectify the technical problem, which involved turning off the engine twice.
SIA explained that, for safety reasons, ground power had to be disabled during the checks. The airline did not provide a specific response to why passengers weren’t allowed to disembark the plane during this period.
Throughout the ordeal, the airline ensured that customers on board were provided with meals, refreshments, and the assistance of its ground staff. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 data showed the plane leaving its gate and returning later.
In another post at 1.46 am, Li shared a video of a large group of passengers waiting in the airport terminal after disembarking. She highlighted the challenge faced by the airline’s ground staff, who were assisting hundreds of passengers with limited resources.
SIA reported that passengers were finally allowed to disembark at 12.30 am, and hotel accommodation was arranged for them. The decision to cancel the flight was made as more time was needed to address the technical issue.
All affected passengers were rebooked on alternative flights departing from Shanghai on Thursday, bringing an end to their unexpected and lengthy delay.
