(Kuala Lumpur, 8th June) — Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook commended the professionalism of the pilot and crew after his flight encountered strong winds and was unable to land safely at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). He praised the decisive action to abort the landing and the crew's efforts in keeping passengers calm. Although the flight, originally scheduled to take just 50 minutes, ended up taking nearly four hours, the entire experience was handled safely and smoothly.
In a Facebook post this morning, Loke shared that he was returning to Kuala Lumpur last night after attending a DAP fundraising dinner in Johor. He boarded a 10:45 PM flight, which proceeded smoothly until it was time to land.
"Sudden weather changes are one of the biggest challenges in aviation operations. Just as the plane was approaching the runway, strong crosswinds and a storm forced the captain to abort the landing and circle above KLIA," he wrote.
The pilot, Captain Tang Huazhe (name transliterated), eventually decided to divert the flight to Penang Airport to refuel and wait for better weather conditions before returning to Kuala Lumpur.
Loke praised Captain Tang for calmly communicating with passengers and continuously providing updates, which helped to ease anxiety on board. Despite working overtime, the crew remained courteous and smiled throughout the ordeal, even offering apologies to passengers — a display of true professionalism.
"I later found out that at least five AirAsia flights were diverted that night. Other airlines may have experienced similar situations," he added.
The flight eventually landed safely at KLIA at 2:40 AM, nearly four hours after taking off from Senai Airport. Loke personally waited until all passengers had disembarked before expressing his gratitude to the crew.
"A special thanks to the captain, co-pilot, and all crew members. I also want to extend my appreciation to the ground staff, air traffic controllers, and the unsung heroes who provided support from Senai, through Penang, and back to KLIA. Thank you for your swift coordination and response, which ensured we returned home safely," he said.
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