AirAsia apologizes for in-flight magazine blurb saying pilots would 'never lose a plane'

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 7 (UPI) -- A budget carrier from Southeast Asia has apologized for a blurb in its in-flight magazine that promised customers their “captain is well prepared to ensure your plane will never get lost.”

AirAsia has issued an apology and pulled copies of the Travel 3Sixty magazine after people became offended due to the blurb’s unintended reference to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

The paragraph in the magazine read: “Pilot training in AirAsia is continuous and very thorough. Rest assured that your captain is well prepared to ensure your plane will never get lost.”

The airline maintains the magazine had gone to the printer long before flight MH370 went missing on March 8.

"With deep regret and remorse I would like to sincerely apologize for any offense caused by the Pilot's Perspective article in the latest issue of Travel 3Sixty magazine,” AirAsia executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said in a statement to the Independent.

"As a monthly contributor, Capt Lim prepared all of his articles months in advance before the magazine goes to print. Unintentionally and regrettably, the current issue carry an article that discuss about GPS and Radar, which was printed a month before its issue date. We are removing the magazine from all of our flights on all AirAsia aircraft immediately. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of the recent aviation incident."

Meranun said disciplinary action would be taken against the magazine’s editorial team.

"This is a truly difficult time for the nation and words cannot describe how I personally feel of this incident," Kamarudin said. "It truly saddens me that this article was released at such an inopportune moment. Again, I repeatedly offer my sincere apologies for any discomfort this may have caused.”

[The Independent] [Metro]