LIFE AFTER SQ006 - Orient Aviation

P U B L I S H E R ’ S L E T T E RSPECIAL BUDDIESSingapore Airlines (SIA), successful, financially sound and safe,thought it could never happen to them. It did. And as theirdeputy chairman and chief executive, Dr Cheong ChoongKong, told Orient Aviation, the events of the stormy night of October31 in Taipei when SQ006 crashed on take-off with the loss of 83 lives,“devastated and humbled” all who worked at the airline.But it did something more. It brought people together in griefin a quite extraordinary and positive way, a way that will surely benoted by the industry at large as a model in selflessness.Nine years ago SIA’s management devised a “buddy” programmeto assist the crisis management control centre at Changi airport. Thespecially trained buddies are responsible for helping the family andfriends of victims and survivors in the event of an accidentBut as Ruth Kelly, SIA’s vice-president customer affairs, whoheads the buddy programme, said: “What happened on the nightof the accident was incredible. We have a list of 385 trained buddiesin Singapore, but as the news [of the accident] was breakingpeople who were not registered as buddies turned up at the crisismanagement control centre at Changi airport in droves.“People arrived all through the night. Some got out of bed,others had just returned from duty travel. Some staff returned fromleave early just to be there. They wanted to help.”Buddies and non-buddies alike played their part. “I have neverseen so much motivation and enthusiasm as there was in that first48 to 72 hours,” said Kelly.Kelly says she would like to talk to other airlines to comparenotes, to see how SIA can improve its buddy programme. OrientAviation believes there are many airlines that would like to – andshould – talk to SIA.This was voluntary work at its best and its most demanding,where trained and untrained staff came together in the most tragicof circumstances to help others.Almost four months later the healing is continuing; the buddiesare continuing their work.Letters of thanks bulge from a file in SIA’s headquarters AirlineHouse. Much good has come from this adversity.BARRY GRINDRODPublisher/Managing EditorThe Association of Asia Pacific Airlines members and contact list:Air New ZealandManaging Director, Mr Gary ToomeyGeneral Manager GroupCommunications, Mr David BeatsonTel: (64 9) 336 2770 Fax: (64 9) 336 2759All Nippon AirwaysPresident and CEO, Mr Kichisaburo NomuraDirector, Public Relations, Mr Koji OhnoTel: (81 3) 5756 5675 Fax: (81 3) 5756 5679Ansett AustraliaGeneral Manager International,Mr Andrew MillerManager Group Public Affairs,Ms Heather JeffereyTel: (61 3) 9623 3540 Fax: (61 3) 9623 2887Asiana AirlinesPresident & chief executive, Mr Park Chan-bupManaging Director, PR, Mr Hong Lae KimTel: (822) 758 8161 Fax: (822) 758 8008Cathay Pacific AirwaysChief Executive Officer, Mr David TurnbullCorporate Communications General Manager,Mr Alan WongTel: (852) 2747 8868 Fax: (852) 2810 6563China AirlinesPresident, Ms Christine Tsung Tsai-yiDirector, Public Relations, Mr Scott ShihTel: (8862) 2514 5750 Fax: (8862) 2514 5754DragonairChief Executive Officer, Mr Stanley HuiCorporate Communication Manager,Ms Laura CramptonTel: (852) 3193 3193 Fax: (852) 3193 3194EVA AirPresident, Mr Frank HsuDeputy Senior Vice President, Mr K. W. NiehTel: (8862) 8500 2585 Fax: (8862) 2501 7599Garuda IndonesiaPresident, Mr AbdulganiVP Corporate Affairs, Mr PujobrotoTel: (6221) 380 0592 Fax: (6221) 368 031Japan AirlinesPresident, Mr Isao KanekoDirector, Public Relations, Mr Geoffrey TudorTel: (813) 5460 3109 Fax: (813) 5460 5910Korean AirPresident and CEO, Mr Shim Yi TaekVP Public Relations, Mr Seung Jae NohTel: (822) 656 7092 Fax: (822) 656 7288/89Malaysia AirlinesChairman, Azizan Zainal AbidinHead of Industry Affairs,Ms R. Nordiana Zainal ShahTel: (603) 2165 5154 Fax: (603) 2163 3178Philippine AirlinesChairman, Mr Lucio TanVP Corporate Communications,Mr Rolando EstabilioTel: (632) 817 1234 Fax: (632) 817 8689Qantas AirwaysManaging Director and CEO, Mr Geoff DixonGroup general manager public affairs, MichaelSharpTel: (612) 9691 3760 Fax: (612) 9691 4187Royal Brunei AirlinesChairman, Dato Paduka Awang Haji AliminBin Haji Abdul WahabTel: (673 2) 343 368 Fax: (673 2) 343 335Singapore AirlinesDeputy Chairman and CEO,Dr Cheong Choong KongVP Public Affairs, Mr Rick ClementsTel: (65) 541 4030 Fax: (65) 545 6083Thai Airways InternationalPresident, Mr Bhisit KuslasayanonDirector, PR, Mrs Sunathee IsvarphornchaiTel: (662) 513 3364 Fax: (662) 545 3891Vietnam AirlinesPresident and CEO, Nguyen Xuan HienDep Director, Corp Affairs, Nguyen Huy HieuTel: (84-4) 873 0928 Fax: (84-4) 827 2291March 01 | Orient Aviation |