Boeing 737: Passengers demand to get off plane after it fails to take-off twice in 'terrifying' ordeal - day after deadly Jeju Air flight that killed 179 people

A plane full of panicky passengers were sent back to the terminal after their aircraft failed to take off twice in Thailand. Pilots manning the Nok Air Boeing 737-800 scheduled to depart Bangkok on 30 December reportedly left passengers uneasy straight after the deadly Jeju Air flight on identical aircraft which had killed 179 people a day earlier.

Narongsak Toyabut, a passenger who experienced the plane’s struggle to fly from Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport, said: “Second attempt began with a proper takeoff, but the engine sounded unusually loud. The plane gained speed, but I noticed that it had already passed the usual takeoff point near the first Air Force hangar.

“By the time it reached the second hangar, it still hadn’t lifted off. Then, the plane suddenly slowed down and turned around. The captain announced an engine malfunction and returned to the airport apron for an inspection”.

He added: “For those who weren’t there, it’s hard to explain how terrifying the situation was. I’m thankful the captain didn’t insist on flying when the plane wasn’t ready. I can’t imagine what could have happened if we had to stop mid-flight”.

The flight to Nan Nakhon Airport in Nan, Thailand, was then put on hold due to technical difficulties. Nok Airlines released a statement about the situation that reportedly left many passengers upset.

The statement read: “Nok Air prioritizes safety, so the plane had to be thoroughly inspected before being returned to service. A replacement plane was brought in to operate the flight, causing flight DD176 to be delayed to 7:20 pm. Nok Air apologizes to all passengers for the impact of this incident”.