The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Suvarnabhumi says subsidence cause of runway mishap
The Ministry of Transport is looking into claims of subsidence at Thailand’s largest airport, Suvarnabhumi, after the landing gear of a China Airlines plane got stuck on its runway.
A Boeing 737-800 that was serving China Airlines flight CI840 faced a runway incident at Suvarnabhumi, with the aircraft preparing to take off for Kaohsiung in Taiwan when the event occurred.
The mishap happened on Runway 02R on a Wednesday at 7.20pm, with the plane evacuated and moved before the affected runway section could be temporarily repaired.
Ground crews required about five hours to relocate the aircraft for inspection, and five flights were delayed as a result of the incident.
Officials attributed the cause to damage from heavy rainfall, water accumulation, and rising groundwater levels that affected the runway and taxiways; the damaged section reportedly gave way under the aircraft’s weight.
China Airlines arranged alternative flights for all 116 passengers and eight crew members, and provided hotel accommodation, meals, and beverages while they awaited onward travel.
Prior to reopening, Suvarnabhumi conducted safety inspections and deemed the surface fit for use, noting the incident did not affect overall airport services.
Authorities are reviewing whether recent severe flooding in areas east of Bangkok contributed to the runway damage.