# Another missing Asian airliner **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 28, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337 "2014-12-28T04:14:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/1 "2014-12-28T04:14:34Z")
[Air Asia flight bound for Singapore has lost contact.](http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/air-asia-flight-bound-singapore-lost-contact-air-traffic-report-2014) I can’t even imagine their family’s terror right now. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/2 "2014-12-28T05:00:03Z")
[http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/air-asia-jet-loses-contact-with-air-traffic-control/story-fnizu68q-1227168427005](http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/air-asia-jet-loses-contact-with-air-traffic-control/story-fnizu68q-1227168427005) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/3 "2014-12-28T05:02:34Z")
So apparently Airasia flight 8501 from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore has gone missing about 5 hours ago. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/4 "2014-12-28T05:04:27Z")
And I just posted the same thing [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744687). I’ll ask for a merge. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/5 "2014-12-28T05:05:58Z")
No real info yet, but there is a report that the plane requested an unusual flight path before losing contact. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/6 "2014-12-28T05:13:34Z")
Jeez, not looking good. Looks like the weather was not good over the Java Sea which is the default flight path. IIRC, Indonesia was not very cooperative with the disappearance of the MH370 flight. Not forthcoming with Radar information etc. I wish CNN would give out basic facts. Like when the flight took off, when it supposed to arrive. I heard that there was about a 30 min gap between last contact and Singapore was notified, ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/7 "2014-12-28T05:21:42Z")
Here’s a thread elsewhere with more data: > **[AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 SUB to SIN reported missing 0724 Sun 28 Dec 2014 -...](https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/budget-asian-australian-south-pacific-airlines-closed-posting/1640581-airasia-indonesia-qz8501-sub-sin-reported-missing-0724-sun-28-dec-2014-a.html)** > > Budget Asian, Australian, and South Pacific Airlines (closed to posting) - AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 SUB to SIN reported missing 0724 Sun 28 Dec 2014 - AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Note : The FAQ has been generated from... ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/8 "2014-12-28T05:23:55Z")
[Al Jazeera](http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2014/12/air-asia-flight-with-162-people-missing-2014122833422448385.html) has information on when contact was lost and its expected arrival time. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/9 "2014-12-28T05:29:36Z")
Yes, I found out the times with a little googling. CNN seems to be focusing on speculation from Mary Schiavo and Richard Quest rather than focusing on the facts. I just realized that the plane had been missing for nearly 4 hours before this thread was started. CNN was not reporting on the story when I first read the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/10 "2014-12-28T06:42:53Z")
I know they all have “black boxes”, but do any of them have floating beacons? Wouldn’t do the victims any good, but it might narrow down where to look. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/11 "2014-12-28T06:46:12Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > No real info yet, but there is a report that the plane requested an unusual flight path before losing contact. Which sounds suspicious. However the following statement from the airline makes the diversion sound mundane (weather diversions happen all over the world all the time and are anything but unusual.) > [@](#): > > “The aircraft was on the submitted flight plan route and was requesting deviation due to en route weather before communication with the aircraft was lost while it was still under the control of the Indonesian air traffic control,” the airline said in a statement. > **[AirAsia flight QZ8501 missing over Java Sea](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-28/airasia-flight-from-indonesia-to-singapore-loses-contact/5990458)** > > A search and rescue operation for an Air Asia flight that went missing en route to Singapore from Indonesia with 162 people on board has been halted due to bad light, Indonesian authorities say. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/12 "2014-12-28T06:51:08Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Which sounds suspicious. However the following statement from the airline makes the diversion sound mundane (weather diversions happen all over the world all the time and are anything but unusual.) > > [AirAsia flight QZ8501 from Indonesia to Singapore loses contact with air traffic control - ABC News](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-28/airasia-flight-from-indonesia-to-singapore-loses-contact/5990458) Yeah, that was all the info I could find at the time. But it does make this disappearance less mysterious in some ways. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/13 "2014-12-28T06:51:29Z")
What the fuck is wrong with airlines from Malaysia? Bad maintenance at Kuala Lumpur? Poor mental health amongst pilots? “[amok](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_amok)” culture? Government pressured costcutting? Gypsy curse? ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/14 "2014-12-28T08:13:01Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > What the fuck is wrong with airlines from Malaysia? > > Bad maintenance at Kuala Lumpur? > Poor mental health amongst pilots? > “[amok](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_amok)” culture? > Government pressured costcutting? > Gypsy curse? Sorry, but this strikes me as offensive and racist. Amok? Gypsy curse? Neither phrase shows even a remote understanding of culture or geography. This tragedy is horrible enough without dragging stereotypes into it. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/15 "2014-12-28T08:22:55Z")
Indonesia AirAsia is from Indonesia, not Malaysia. It is a separate airline that AirAsia has a minority stake in. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/16 "2014-12-28T09:37:21Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > What the fuck is wrong with airlines from Malaysia? > > Bad maintenance at Kuala Lumpur? > Poor mental health amongst pilots? > “[amok](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_amok)” culture? > Government pressured costcutting? > Gypsy curse? Well, only one of the crashed flights originated in Kuala Lumpur. And MH17 was shot down by a missile and nothing the pilots or the maintenance crews or the accountants did could have fixed that–it could have just as easily been a Lufthansa or a Qantas or a Cathay flight. And no conclusions can be made about MH370 because they can’t find it and have no idea what happened. And this latest flight was run by AirAsia Indonesia. But yeah, other than that, what’s up with Malaysian carriers? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/17 "2014-12-28T09:41:50Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Indonesia AirAsia is from Indonesia, not Malaysia. It is a separate airline that AirAsia has a minority stake in. Apart from this, Malaysia Airlines won a number of awards for safety and service (obviously prior to this year). Only me personal data here, but I’ve flown with them to Europe a few times and found they were excellent. I would not have hesitated in recommending them. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/18 "2014-12-28T09:45:51Z")
The parent airline is Malaysia’s AirAsia, but since this is their Indonesian subsidiary, Indonesian AirAsia, isn’t that considered an Indonesian airline? Thai AirAsia is considered a Thai airline since it’s majority Thai-owned. (I don’t know about Indonesia, but aviation is a protected industry in Thailand, and by law no foreign entity can own a majority stake in a local airline.) But however it’s counted, we’re flying Thai AirAsia this week, so I hope nothing is up with them in general. And I hope for the best for the missing flight. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/19 "2014-12-28T12:14:36Z")
A fairly new aircraft. Well trained crew. Queue Twilight Zone theme… ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337/20 "2014-12-28T12:35:16Z")
Seeing as I just more or less woke up and haven’t had time to look into this much, severe storms could be all the explanation needed. It is, after all, what brought down Air France Flight 447 half a world away from the current missing flight. A big enough storm can bring down a big jet, hence the rather commonplace request to divert around big storms. As usual, we’ll know more a few hours/days/week/months from now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-missing-asian-airliner/708337.md?page=2)