01/08/09, 03:25:59 UTC

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China Airlines hit by cancellations / Taiwan tourists continue tour as airline president visits Okinawa to apologize

yomiuri.co.jp

People left Naha Airport for Taiwan on Tuesday casting worried glances toward the shell of a China Airlines jet that was destroyed by an explosion and fire Monday and remains on the airport apron.

International flights at the airport were operating normally, and China Airlines Flight 120--the same flight number as the destroyed airliner--arrived from Taipei with 152 passengers onboard at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

China Airlines has, however, received many calls from its customers canceling their flight reservations following the incident Monday.

According to the airline's Naha branch office, 40 people canceled their reservations on Monday's Flight 121, which left Naha Airport at 11:45 a.m., about an hour after the accident. The airline also reported cancellations of reservations for flights Tuesday.

Nanae Ikehara of Urazoe, Okinawa Prefecture, was booked on a China Airlines flight to Taipei to travel around Taiwan before visiting Hong Kong and Malaysia. The 19-year-old university student said: "I'm worried, but I've no other choice because I can't change my itinerary. I hope those responsible will identify the cause [of the accident] and ensure my flights are safe."

Misato Chinen of Uruma in the prefecture was to visit Taiwan to participate in a student conference. The 22-year-old university student said: "I'm concerned, but I've been looking forward to my trip, so I decided to take a [China Airlines] flight as I first planned. I hope the airline carefully inspects its planes."

Meanwhile, the Taiwan tourists who evacuated Flight 120 shortly before it exploded resumed their sightseeing tour Tuesday morning.

As a group of 13 of the tourists boarded a tour bus, a woman waved and smiled at reporters. The group planned to visit the Southeast Botanical Garden, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium and other destinations.

All of the baggage on Flight 120 was incinerated in the explosion and fire that gutted the plane, so passengers received 30,000 yen each from China Airlines to purchase clothes and other necessary items.

China Airlines President Chao Kuo-shui traveled around Okinawa to personally apologize to all of the 89 passengers from Taiwan.

At the botanical garden in Okinawa, the president apologized to each of the passengers who visited there and handed them compensation money.

Some passengers told Kuo-shui of their concerns about the safety of the airlines' flights.

However, a China Airlines spokesman said, "We believe the passengers accepted our sincere apologies."

 Printable Version  | published Aug 21, 2007