Garuda Indonesia flight GA829, originally scheduled to fly from Singapore's Changi Airport to Jakarta, was evacuated before takeoff this Wednesday (25th), after safety hazards were detected at the rear of the aircraft. The crew immediately deployed inflatable emergency slides to evacuate all passengers safely, drawing widespread attention.
On Friday (27th), Garuda Indonesia released an official statement on Facebook, confirming the incident. The affected flight GA829 was scheduled to depart at 12:55pm Singapore time and to arrive in Jakarta at 2:00pm. According to the statement, after most passengers had boarded, the crew discovered a safety hazard at the rear of the plane, which could threaten operation safety. They then took prudent and controlled measures, guiding passengers to evacuate the cabin and return to the boarding gate area.
The evacuation process used both the boarding bridge and inflatable emergency slides on two rear doors. All passengers were safely evacuated. Garuda Indonesia subsequently arranged for passengers to be transferred to an alternative flight to Jakarta and provided compensation according to regulations.
One passenger shared their experience on Xiaohongshu, describing that around 12:45pm, just as nearly everyone had boarded, the plane suddenly lost power, and immediately afterwards, the cabin crew shouted "Evacuate!" The inflatable slides at the rear doors were then activated, allowing passengers to return to the terminal via the slides. Five fire trucks were deployed to stand by at the scene. The passenger wrote: "Thank goodness it wasn't discovered after takeoff." He later took the 3:30pm flight and arrived in Jakarta.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, which tracks aviation incidents, the Boeing 737-800 involved suffered an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) fire at Changi Airport. Garuda's statement did not disclose the specific cause or details of the hazard. The aircraft was put back into service after about 24 hours.
Garuda Indonesia reiterated that flight safety and security remain the airline's top priority, and it will continue to work closely with relevant authorities to ensure all procedures comply with current aviation safety standards.
The evacuation process used both the boarding bridge and inflatable emergency slides on two rear doors. All passengers were safely evacuated. Garuda Indonesia subsequently arranged for passengers to be transferred to an alternative flight to Jakarta and provided compensation according to regulations.
One passenger shared their experience on Xiaohongshu, describing that around 12:45pm, just as nearly everyone had boarded, the plane suddenly lost power, and immediately afterwards, the cabin crew shouted "Evacuate!" The inflatable slides at the rear doors were then activated, allowing passengers to return to the terminal via the slides. Five fire trucks were deployed to stand by at the scene. The passenger wrote: "Thank goodness it wasn't discovered after takeoff." He later took the 3:30pm flight and arrived in Jakarta.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, which tracks aviation incidents, the Boeing 737-800 involved suffered an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) fire at Changi Airport. Garuda's statement did not disclose the specific cause or details of the hazard. The aircraft was put back into service after about 24 hours.
Garuda Indonesia reiterated that flight safety and security remain the airline's top priority, and it will continue to work closely with relevant authorities to ensure all procedures comply with current aviation safety standards.