Damage Control: Thai Airways Blacks Out Its Own Logo On Plane After It Skids Off Runway

Thai Airways playing "hide the logo."

Thai Airways playing “hide the logo.”

If no one can see a plane’s logo, does that mean it an accident never happened? That’s the angle Thai Airways is going with as it blacked out its own logo on a plane that skidded off the runway upon landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. But it’s not called damage control, nope. It’s part of “crisis communication.”

The plane’s landing slide on Sunday injured 14 passengers, the airline said today, and was Thai Airways’ second accident in less than two weeks. According to the airline, the skid was due to a “glitch” in the wheel base.

“After touchdown at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the landing gear malfunctioned and caused the aircraft to skid off the runway. Sparks were noticed from the vicinity of the right landing gear near the engine; the matter is under investigation,” Thai Airways President Sorajak Kasemsuvan said in a statement Monday, via the Associated Press.

“The captain took control of the aircraft until it came to a complete stop and passengers were evacuated from the aircraft emergency exits.”

Shortly afterward, workers climbed onto the plane and apparently painted out its logos. A Thai Airways official said that “blurring the logo” after an incident was suggested by Star Alliance under the “crisis communication rule,” in order to protect the airline’s reputation as well as that of other members of Star Alliance.

In case you’ve already forgotten which airline that was, being as the logo was marked out and all, it’s Thai Airways. What? Oh yeah, Thai Airways.

Thai Airways plane skids off runway, injuring 14 [USA Today]

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