Thai Airways has declared that it will take legal action against a traveler who publicly criticised the airline for its choice to cancel a flight because of bad weather. A Bangkok to Melbourne flight experienced an issue that required it to land in Sydney, causing it to arrive at its intended destination four hours later than expected.

The airline decided to change course due to safety concerns related to Melbourne’s bad weather, where low visibility could be dangerous during landing. Although these kinds of diversions are frequently used as a preventative measure in the aviation industry, a disgruntled passenger expressed his dissatisfaction on Facebook.

The passenger questioned the need for the diversion in the since-deleted post, stating that the weather was fine and expressing concerns about fuel levels and the cabin crew’s assertiveness when speaking with air traffic controllers. The post went viral very soon after it attracted attention.

A Thai Airways pilot conversed with the passenger in response to the criticism, outlining the airline’s compliance with safety regulations, fuel specifications, and pilot training procedures. Thai Airways has chosen to take legal action even though the passenger removed the critical post and apologized for the rapidly written comments.

The airline stressed that during the incident, its crew adhered to international safety and security regulations. Thai Airways stated that the legal action is a demonstration of its commitment to maintaining high standards of safety and security while protecting its reputation from what it perceives as harmful and inaccurate public perceptions.