Air Asia has responded to public criticism surrounding flight FD3116 from Don Mueang to Hat Yai after 23 passengers were mistakenly left on an airport shuttle bus. The airline acknowledged the issue stemmed from a communication breakdown, and said it has launched an investigation into the staff involved while immediately strengthening safety procedures.
The issue came to light after a Facebook user shared their experience, claiming that 23 passengers were left behind on a bus and nearly missed the flight, with the cause believed to be a coordination error.
Today (29 January), the page “Hflight” posted the airline’s official clarification regarding the incident, which occurred on 17 January.
Thai AirAsia (FD/AIQ) explained that flight FD3116, operating from Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) to Hat Yai International Airport (HDY) on 17 January 2026, was originally scheduled to depart at 07:10 and arrive at 08:45, carrying a total of 136 passengers.
An internal review found that before departure from Don Mueang Airport, a coordination and communication error occurred among ground staff, affecting the passenger reconciliation process. To ensure all passengers were accounted for and able to travel, the captain decided to wait and take the remaining passengers on board, resulting in a delay of approximately 36 minutes.
AirAsia apologised for the inconvenience caused. The airline said it is investigating the staff involved and will take action in accordance with company regulations. It also stated that additional oversight measures have been introduced to tighten operational procedures moving forward.
(Additional checks via Flightradar24 show that flight FD3116 was scheduled to depart Bangkok at 07:10, took off at 08:03, and landed in Hat Yai at 09:12, compared with a scheduled arrival time of 08:35.)