Staff members unload AirAsia's QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore, which took the same code as the missing plane that took off 24 hours earlier, at Changi Airport in Singapore December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — Channel News Asia has been hit by a barrage of criticism for a Facebook post stating that Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501 “landed safely” today at Changi airport.
The report is causing confusion as the Indonesian airline did not discontinue the code for the flight that disappeared while flying from Surabaya to Singapore yesterday morning.
Facebook users quickly criticised the news outlet for the misleading information, saying it did not make clear that the airline code had not been retired pending the discovery of the missing plane.
Indonesia AirAsia also came in for brickbats for its decision to keep using the flight code even as searchers continue looking for the jetliner.
“Dear Channel News Asia, People are not interested of the news of today's flight which landed safely. You are so insensitive by reporting this kind of news. What are you trying to convey?” one user named Park Sin Chez said critically.
“So the flight that went missing for a day has safely landed at Changi Airport this morning?
IN THE GALLERY
AirAsia's QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore, taking the same code as the missing plane which took off 24 hours earlier, taxis at Changi Airport in Singapore December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Indonesia's vice-president Jusuf Kalla (left) monitors progress in the search for AirAsia Flight QZ8501 during a visit to the National Search and Rescue Agency in Jakarta in this picture supplied by Antara Foto, December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Staff members unload AirAsia's QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore, which took the same code as the missing plane that took off 24 hours earlier, at Changi Airport in Singapore December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
A relative shows a picture of alleged passengers who were travelling on missing Malaysian air carrier AirAsia flight QZ8501 on her mobile phone screen at the airport in Surabaya, East Java. ― AFP pic
A family member of a passenger on board the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 react as waiting news at a waiting area in Juanda International Airport, Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Family members of passengers on board missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 cry at a waiting area in Juanda International Airport, Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
A family member of a passenger on board the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 react as waiting news at a waiting area in Juanda International Airport, Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Military and rescue authorities monitor progress in the search for AirAsia Flight QZ8501 in the Mission Control Center inside the National Search and Rescue Agency in Jakarta December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
An Indonesian man, whose wife is a passenger onboard the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, makes a phone call at a waiting area in Juanda International Airport, Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Relatives of passengers onboard AirAsia flight QZ8501 cry as they pray together in a waiting area at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes (right) talks to the family members of passengers onboard AirAsia flight QZ8501 at Surabaya's Juanda International Airport December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Relatives of passengers onboard AirAsia flight QZ8501 cry as they pray together in a waiting area at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes (centre) talks with his staff at Surabaya's Juanda International Airport December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Relatives of passengers onboard AirAsia flight QZ8501 pray together in a waiting area at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
A boy stands near a list of passengers onboard AirAsia flight QZ8501 as he looks for his aunt's name at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Indonesia's vice-president Jusuf Kalla shakes hands with family members of passengers onboard AirAsia flight QZ8501 at a waiting area in Surabaya's Juanda International Airport December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Relatives point at the name of their family member on a list of passengers onboard AirAsia flight Qz8501c at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
A member of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) looks out into the waters, onboard a C-130 Hercules, during a Search and Locate operation for the missing AirAsia QZ8501 aircraft over an undisclosed search area December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) personnel survey the waters, onboard a C-130 Hercules, during a Search and Locate operation for the missing AirAsia QZ8501 aircraft over an undisclosed search area December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Relatives of passengers onboard AirAsia flight QZ8501 cry in a waiting area at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Navy soldiers work on a map of Indonesia monitoring all Navy ships from Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia involved in the joint search and rescue operation for AirAsia flight QZ8501 at a navy base on Batam island, December 29, 2014 in this photo supplied by Antara Foto. ― Reuters pic
Pilot of Navy airplane CN235 M. Naim holds a map to co-pilot Rahmad while flying over the Java sea during joint search operations of AirAsia flight QZ8501 December 29, 2014 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. ― Reuters pic
Family members of passengers onboard AirAsia flight QZ8501 stand near Indonesia's map in Juanda International Airport, Surabaya December 29, 2014. ― Reuters pic
A member of an Indonesian Hercules C130 aircrew watches through a window while monitoring the Belitung Timur sea during search operations for AirAsia flight QZ8501 near Belitung island, December 29, 2014 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. ― Reuters pic
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And everyone is safe and sound? This is what I interpreted from your headline!” wrote another by the name of Helen Chua.
Channel News Asia later amended its post to: “UPDATE: Today's AirAsia #QZ8501 flight from Surabaya to Singapore ― which took off a day after the missing flight ― has landed safely at Changi Airport, Terminal 1.”
Flight QZ8501, which carried one Malaysian on board, disappeared from radar at 6.18am local time yesterday enroute to Singapore from Surabaya in Indonesia.
On board Flight QZ8501 were 155 Indonesians, three South Koreans, one Malaysian, one Singaporean, one Frenchman and one Briton, comprising 155 passengers and seven crew members.
Indonesia resumed search operations for the missing jet early this morning, whose last known position was between the Indonesian port of Tanjung Pandan and the town of Pontianak, in West Kalimantan on Borneo island.
