22-5-2024 (SINGAPOE) Passengers from flight SQ321 touched down at Changi Airport Terminal 2 around 5am on May 22, with nearly all being swiftly escorted from the baggage collection area by Singapore Airlines (SIA) staff.
The scene was filled with emotional reunions as passengers embraced their anxious family members and friends. SIA personnel, wearing distinctive vests, efficiently guided them to various pickup points, including the bus bay and T2 carpark.
This peaceful arrival was a stark contrast to the harrowing experience they endured the previous day when SQ321 encountered severe turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin approximately ten hours after departing from London. The turbulence tragically resulted in one fatality and numerous injuries, necessitating an emergency landing at Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
SIA announced via Facebook on May 22 that 131 passengers and 12 crew members arrived in Singapore on a relief flight at 5.05am, greeted by SIA’s chief executive, Goh Choon Phong. However, 79 passengers and six crew members remain in Bangkok, including those receiving medical attention and their companions.
Data from FlightRadar24 indicated that the relief flight, SQ9071, departed Bangkok at about 3.10am, Singapore time. The same Airbus A350 had left Changi Airport at around 9pm on May 21. Typically, the journey between the two cities takes approximately 2.5 hours.
Changi Airport staff prepared for the arrival by setting up barricades in the T2 arrival hall around 1am to direct passengers from the baggage collection area to various exit points. The area was divided, with family members allowed past the barriers while the media and general public were kept at bay. Staff conducted dry runs to ensure a smooth process once the flight landed.
The first passenger emerged from the arrival hall at approximately 5.15am. Each group was accompanied by an SIA staff member, and care officers were on hand to assist. Some passengers boarded shuttle buses to Terminal 4, while others headed to a waiting line of taxis. SIA staff also escorted passengers to their vehicles in the carpark. The first bus, not completely filled, departed around 5.30am, with more following as passengers boarded.
SIA arranged transport to take passengers to their homes or hotels. For those with onward connections, the airline rebooked flights and provided accommodations or lounge access until their departures.
In a Facebook video message, Mr. Goh expressed deep regret over the traumatic experience, emphasizing SIA’s commitment to assisting all affected passengers and crew. He noted that a team was sent to Bangkok on the night of May 21 to provide support.
“Our priority is to render all possible assistance to our passengers and crew members,” Mr. Goh stated, offering sincere apologies for the incident.
As passengers moved through the arrival hall, emotional reunions unfolded. One passenger, upon seeing her loved one, hugged for at least two minutes. Another, asked by the media about any injuries, replied, “No, we were very lucky.” A man with a cut on his elbow and a woman in a wheelchair were among the more visibly affected.
A mother, who declined to be named, shared that her 23-year-old son, a student in London, was on SQ321. She first heard from him around 4.20pm on May 21, learning he had suffered a minor cut. She expressed frustration over not being able to reach SIA for information, relying solely on updates from her son.
Mr. Chew and his wife were also among those waiting at the arrival hall, anxious to see their 22-year-old son, a national serviceman returning with his girlfriend from a student exchange program in London. Communicating via WhatsApp since the turbulence, their son described being “thrown all over the place” but assured he was okay aside from a few bruises.
Mr. Chew, a 57-year-old logistics worker, shared his relief and concern. “We’re blessed that they are well, but until I see him, I won’t be sure,” he said. Advising his son to seek medical attention in Bangkok, he hoped for no serious injuries.
Mr. Chew and his family, including his son’s girlfriend and her family, shared a heartfelt reunion in the arrival hall before leaving together.
