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Passengers create stink over pungent planeload of durian
JAKARTA, Nov 7, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A cargo of pungent durian fruit led an
Indonesian plane to be delayed for an hour after passengers turned their
noses up at the funky freight and refused to fly.
Durian is highly popular in Southeast Asia but very divisive. While some
consider it the “king of fruits”, likening its creamy texture and intense
aroma to blue cheese, detractors consider its odour to be closer to sewage,
stale vomit or damp socks.
Passengers booked on a Sriwijaya Air flight from Bengkulu province in
Sumatra to Jakarta on Monday complained to staff after smelling the fruit and
refused to get on the plane — repulsed by the pungent payload and concerned
about the extra weight on board.
The airline admitted it was carrying more than two tonnes of the whiffy
wares but insisted they posed no danger to the flight, adding the smell would
dissipate once the aircraft took off.
“Durian is not classified as a hazardous material to be transported on a
plane,” Sriwijaya Air official Abdul Rahim told national television station
Kompas TV late Tuesday.
He blamed unusually hot weather for the stench.
“We made the necessary precautions, such as putting in pandan leaves and
coffee powder to absorb the durian smell,” Rahim said.
Staff decided to unload the fruit after passengers who had boarded the
flight decided to get off the plane, which took off an hour later and landed
safely in Jakarta.
Bengkulu airport staff said they would review procedures regarding
transport of durian to avoid passenger discomfort in the future.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1304 hrs