Passengers slam 'screaming' AirAsia staff for 'hysterical' response to mid-air plunge
Terrified passengers onboard an AirAsia plane that plummeted 20,000 feet have criticised the airline’s flight attendants for their “hysterical” response to the midair scare.
Less than an hour after departing Perth Airport, bound for Bali, flight QZ535 lost cabin pressure, leaving the 145 passengers onboard fearing for their lives.
Relieved to be back on solid ground, passengers now say their panic was escalated by the behaviour of the cabin staff who were “screaming, looked tearful and shocked”.
“We look to them for reassurance and we didn’t get any, we were more worried beause of how panicked they were,” passenger Clare Askew told 7 News.
Several other passengers said the only English instructions they received were “crash position” and “brace”.
Mark Bailey said he wasn’t particularly worried until seeing how the staff reacted to the incident.
“They’ve started screaming emergency emergency, they just went hysterical, there was no real panic before that but everyone panicked after that."
Several other passengers told 7 News they began messaging their loved ones and began praying.
“I messaged my son saying goodbye,” one passenger added.
Glenyce Regan started praying as the woman next to her scribbled in a notepad through tears.
“I could feel (the loss of pressure) from breathing because I’ve not long ago had a heart operation,” Ms Regan said.
“Then the masks dropped and it frightened the s*** out of me.
AirAsia Indonesia say engineers are examining the aircraft now, trying to work out what went wrong.
In a statement, AirAsia said: "The safety of our guests is our utmost priority. AirAsia Indonesia apologises for any inconvenience caused".
The budget airline has been under increased scrutiny from the air safety regulator over previous incidents.
In June the pilot of an Air Asia X plane told passengers to say a prayer after an apparent engine issue.
