Flight TG218 was taxiing to the runway at about 7:30pm when the captain noticed a warning light malfunction in the cockpit, and decided to abort take-off in favour of a full systems check, The Phuket News was told.
The passengers were called on to disembark and wait in the departure lounge while the check was carried out. After the full inspection, passengers re-boarded the plane departed Phuket at 10:37pm, bound for Suvarnabhumi.
Staff at the THAI Airways office at Phuket Airport this morning (June 15) said they were aware of the incident, but were unable to offer any explanation of what the malfunction was.
Reports in the Thai-language press this morning reported that the aircraft, an Airbus A333, allegedly suffered an oil leak, and the call the disembark the plane evoked panic among some of the passengers.
However, the director of the Aerothai Phuket office, which operates the air traffic control centre at Phuket Airport, this morning told The Phuket News that the warning light was “no cause for alarm”.
“A warning light came on and sometimes this happens when a plane is about to take off. There was no oil leak or anything like that,” said Wichai Kasornchan.
“All passengers were fine. No one panicked and they re-boarded the plane after the engine and the plane were inspected for safety,” he added.