Singapore TV channel under fire for reporting ‘QZ 8501 has landed safely’

By admin-s On Dec 29, 2014

(MMO) – 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?

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.”