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Singapore Airlines apologises for ‘insensitive’ MH17 social media post

Ridgewalkers

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset

Singapore Airlines apologises for ‘insensitive’ MH17 social media post


PUBLISHED : Sunday, 20 July, 2014, 5:29pm
UPDATED : Sunday, 20 July, 2014, 5:49pm

Agence France-Presse in Singapore

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Groundstaff prepare a Malaysia Airlines plane for departure at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has apologised for posting an “insensitive” comment on social media about the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash in crisis-stricken eastern Ukraine.

Hours after the Boeing 777-200 passenger jet with 298 people on board went down on Thursday, believed shot by a surface-to-air missile, SIA posted a one-line statement on Facebook and Twitter.

It read: “Customers may wish to note that Singapore Airlines flights are not using Ukraine airspace.”

The comment sparked anger among users of social media.

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“How about at least acknowledging the terrible event and sending condolences to those families and friends involved instead of this cold, classless update?,” wrote a Michael Reif in response.

Hundreds of others joined in the condemnation but some defended the airline, saying it was trying to reassure customers concerned about the safety of their flight route.

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“We are aware that our Facebook and Twitter update on Friday morning may have come across as insensitive to some,” SIA said in a Facebook posting late on Saturday.

“We recognise that the information could have been better communicated and we sincerely apologise if it had offended our customers and anyone else in the online community,” it added.

“The post was in response to many requests from our customers who had asked for information about our flight routes for their upcoming flights with us.”

SIA acknowledged that prior to the crash it was flying the route taken by MH17 but has since re-routed flights.

World leaders are in agreement that MH17 was blown out of the sky by a surface-to-air missile fired from rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine.

Kiev has gone a step further, saying militias using a Russian-supplied anti-aircraft system were responsible.

 

aurvandil

Alfrescian
Loyal
Went through some of the postings. The posting below best summaries the sentiment:

Jessica Richardson: SQ it is now all over the international press - you had a flight 25km away from MH17 at the time of the incident. The BUK missile system has a range of 42km. Not only were you in Ukrainian airspace you were potentially in range of the missile. It is time for you to put out a statement and apology. Unlike British Airways, Virgin, Turkish, Cathy Pacific, Air France, Qantas and all US airlines you made the decision to continue using Ukrainian airspace until MH17 went down. You have higher ticket prices than other carriers yet still used the shortest route over a war zone with known surface-to-air missile use. You have put your profits over the safety of your passengers and crew. My family and I are frequent flyers on the London-Singapore route and you have lost our custom for good. I used to be proud of Singapore's national carrier. Now I am ashamed.

I read the Facebook comments and they are scathing.
 
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