Etihad flight diverted - SMH

[RooFlyer]

Posted this morning on the SMH site: Etihad flight diverted to Jakarta after 'disruptions'

Including these rather startling comments:

Norwegian professional golfer Caroline Martens, who was flying home from competing in the Australian Masters golf tournament, told Norwegian radio and television public broadcasting company NKR that a fire was started on board ‘‘directly while we were above the sea’’.

‘‘After a few hours I noticed that it smelled like smoke... but I thought everything was fine and just fell asleep,’’ she said.

‘‘About two hours after I woke up as the fire alarm went off again.’’

Ms Martens, 27, said there was a fire in one of the toilets and smoke billowing out of another.

After the plane landed in Jakarta, the golfer said all passengers and crew were searched by local police, but no culprit was found.

‘‘Thus we were all sent on a plane again without knowing who had done it. It is just not nice to know that someone will set fire to the aircraft you will be travelling with,’’ Martens said.


Read more: Etihad flight diverted to Jakarta after 'disruptions'

She smelled smoke and just went to sleep?

 

[markis10]

What a poorly written article, the writer references the golfer then mentions this further down the page:

One Instagram user wrote: ‘‘Try having someone set the plane on fire, in two different places, having to emergency land in Jakarta, get back on after hours of investigations, for the IDIOT to set three more fires in three more toilets while mid-air and nowhere to land!!!!!’


Err, that was the same source - the golfer!

carolinemartens16 hours ago
Traveling is not always a danse on roses.... Try having someone set the plane of fire, in two different places, having to emergency land in Jakarta, get back on after hours of investigations, for the IDIOT to set three more fires in three more toilets while mid-air and nowhere to land!!!!! There are some ****ed up people in this world!!! #travel#tourlife #etihad #amess #fire #hopeless

 

[TomVexille]

You wonder what people's motivation is with setting fires. Sounds like EY locked the cabin down after the second set of fires. No food or drinks served. Then again, those reports come from people venting on twitter, so there's a high probability of over exaggeration.

 

[casanovawa]

Is it that hard for even passengers sitting near toilets to have a look who was using them shortly before new fires were lit???

After the emergency landing i think i would have been watching the toilets near me like a hawk and would have words with anyone that came out shortly before smoke did...

 

[Flying Fox]

What an idiot.

Similar information here -

Mystery arsonist on Melbourne flight to Abu Dhabi

Not sure why staff weren't posted at the toilet blocks and made to check them after each passenger used the facilities. Afterall, isn't safety their first priority???

 

[ash.1111]

It seems that after they took off from their diversion, 3 more fires were lit. That's what caused the blackout of service (I'm assuming). Everyone is up in arms about that, but I really think it should have happened sooner.

Fire in a plane is one of the worst things that could happen. I'd rather be hungry and thirsty beyond all measure than be dead in a firey crash. I feel the toilet situation would be easier to manage, with one crew taking a passenger at a time. Then someone could go through with a few waters/snacks at a time. No full service, though...

 

[Robbi]

This report is slightly different.

I am surprised at the blasé attitude of everyone. After the first spate of fires how can three more be lit without someone seeing the ****er?

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/trave...il&utm_campaign=editorial&net_sub_uid=6423384

 

[TomVexille]

This report is slightly different.

I am surprised at the blasé attitude of everyone. After the first spate of fires how can three more be lit without someone seeing the ****er?

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/trave...il&utm_campaign=editorial&net_sub_uid=6423384

I totally agree. How someone got away with this is insane.

 

[Chrisd26]

My nightmare is some looney sprinkling duty free vodka over a seat and setting it on fire!!!

 

[opusman]

Yes it's completely illogical that you're allowed on with a lighter or matches but not e.g. a pair of nail scissors.

 

[RooFlyer]

A follow-up report in The Oz: Etihad fire flight | The Australian

Now, I don't necessarily swallow everything I read in any paper (or any web site for that matter ) ... but ...

I really, really hope the last bit of this isn't true:

Gatot Priambodo, the air traffic control co-ordinator at Jakarta's Sukarno-Hatta International Airport, said Australian controllers requested the diversion after smoke alarms went off but that Indonesian authorities did not launch an investigation because the pilot had said prior to landing that there was “no need for assistance on arrival.”

 

[markis10]

A follow-up report in The Oz: Etihad fire flight | The Australian

Now, I don't necessarily swallow everything I read in any paper (or any web site for that matter ) ... but ...

I really, really hope the last bit of this isn't true:

Lost in translation? A number of people have been detained in AUH!

 

[RooFlyer]

I mean that it looks like the Etihad pilot / crew didn't ask for any police / "assistance" on arrival at Jakarta. Surely it was obvious by then they had an arsonist on board? But it seems like they only brought in the authorities when they got to their destination.

I hope there wasn't pressure from Abu Dhabi to keep the flight 'moving'.

 

[markis10]

I mean that it looks like the Etihad pilot / crew didn't ask for any police / "assistance" on arrival at Jakarta. Surely it was obvious by then they had an arsonist on board? But it seems like they only brought in the authorities when they got to their destination.

I hope there wasn't pressure from Abu Dhabi to keep the flight 'moving'.

When ATC offer assistance it infers that its RFF (Rescue Fire Fighting) assistance , not police, that normally would come via the operations centre of the airline to the local police contacts. The pilot was right to say no assistance required, as it would have wasted the fire fighters time I suspect.

 

[sail0r]

Etihad : a series of fires were lit on-board flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi

Sounds like a serious lapse in security to me.
Diverts to Jakarta, then continues to Abu Dhabi


Did they really just think it was someone trying to smoke in the toilets, that caused flames? (more than once)

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/trave...t-from-melbourne/story-fnjjv9zj-1226831400670

 

[drron]

Re: Etihad : a series of fires were lit on-board flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi

Sounds like a serious lapse in security to me.
Diverts to Jakarta, then continues to Abu Dhabi


Did they really just think it was someone trying to smoke in the toilets, that caused flames? (more than once)

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/trave...t-from-melbourne/story-fnjjv9zj-1226831400670

That report is a little more believable saying crew were posted at each toilet door and that is why food service could not proceed.I'd rather have no food than risk a fire onboard.Still another fire did break out so how did that occur?
Was it just a nutter?
Or could it have been deliberate-there are quite a few ways to have a fire ignite after you have left the scene.

 

[SeaWolf]

Re: Etihad : a series of fires were lit on-board flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi

I suspect that whoever was lighting the fires wasn't simply going into the toilets and tossing a lit match in the bin. They were probably using something to delay the fire starting, say lighting a cigarette and placing it upright in the bin on top of the contents. The fire wouldn't properly start until the cigarette burnt down and then ignited the contents. Without someone huffing on it that could take a while and any number of people could have gone through the toilet in the meantime if it was busy. That's probably why they eventually resorted to stationing cabin crew there to inspect the toilets after each user.
What a pain.

 

[Happy Trails]

Re: Etihad : a series of fires were lit on-board flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi

I actually find it strangely reassuring that you could have multiple fires lit on a plane and yet it was still able to fly and land safely.

 

[TomVexille]

Re: Etihad : a series of fires were lit on-board flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi

I actually find it strangely reassuring that you could have multiple fires lit on a plane and yet it was still able to fly and land safely.

Quick and effective intervention by cabin crew I would think.

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: Etihad : a series of fires were lit on-board flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi

The whole thing's a bit bizarre, isn't it?

A cigarette lit to ignite paper etc a bit later should set off the smoke alarms straight away. FAs at least instantly go to that toilet. So maybe the alarms were tampered with (although pax heard them going off at least once).

There were several reports of pax seeing 'flames' when the toilet doors were opened. That's either an accelerant (?lighter fluid) or a pile of paper.

Fans in the toilets are pretty strong, but there was still enough smoke each time to enter the cabin.

How does no-body see whodunit, especially after the first smoke event?

If some-one left a note in the toilet re a bo*b, and no-one saw who left the note, would the flight have taken off again from Jakarta with only a carry-on search for writing materials?