The accident, in which a female passenger lost part of her left leg when she fell on an escalator at Don Mueang International Airport on June 29th, was not the first time that a passenger or their property has been pulled into an escalator mechanism at the airport.
On July 30th, 2019, an accident caused by an escalator in Don Mueang International Airport was shared on a passenger’s Facebook page, after one of his shoes was damaged by being pulled into the mechanism while he was on the escalator.
According to the post, he was on the way back with his family after a night flight from Osaka to Don Mueang International Airport. He was on the moving walkway and, as he was about to step off, he felt something pulling his left shoe into the mechanism. He could not release it, because the force was too strong. He quickly pulled his foot out of the trapped shoe and, in less than a second, his shoe was drawn into the mechanism. After the accident, it took about a month for the airport to take any action.
On September 6th, 2019, Don Mueang International Airport announced that they had overhauled their escalators and moving walkways and had tested them and other passenger carrying machinery, such as elevators. It also announced that there will be 8 “inspections” per day.
On June 30th this year, all escalators and moving walkways in Don Mueang International Airport were closed for maintenance and investigation, after the accident which left a female passenger severely injured.
Karant Thanakuljeerapat, Director of Don Mueang International Airport, said that the escalators at the airport have been operating for over 30 years, but confirmed that they had all been properly maintained and inspected.
