Legendary Captain

Chapter 314 Star Travel Airlines Bankruptcy?

A hospital in Qiancheng.

Wen Jingshu looked through the window at Xu Xian, who was unconscious in the intensive care unit. Her face was pale, and she could barely stand.

Beside her, the Vice President of Operations, Luo Qing, also looked extremely grim. His departure date had already been set; he was just waiting for Qin Zongyang's appointment announcement period to pass before he could step down with peace of mind.

But just as he was about to leave office, a major incident occurred that shocked the world.

When Luo Qing heard the operations control department tell him what had happened to Xingyou 6311 flight at Qiancheng Airport, his heart almost stopped beating.

The plane overran the runway and broke apart on the spot. Either way, it would be enough to bring down an airline!

"Chairman, there are 117 passengers on Xingyou Flight 6311. Twelve are in critical condition and require emergency treatment. Twenty-one remain unconscious. All other passengers have sustained injuries of varying degrees. In addition, one flight attendant is receiving emergency treatment. Among the flight crew, Ning Sheng's condition is very serious; his survival is uncertain. Also, there's Xu Xian..."

Wen Jingshu raised her hand to stop Luo Qing from speaking: "You don't need to tell me about Xu Xian's situation; I'll find out myself. Besides that, are there any other questions?"

"When the plane overran the runway, some debris flew out of the airport perimeter and hit a small child who was watching the plane. The child is currently receiving treatment. In addition, the broken rear section of the fuselage collided with a Xingfei Airlines plane parked on the tarmac. Fortunately, there were no people on that plane at the time, so there were no further casualties. Finally, the debris scattered from Xingyou 6311 covered most of the runway area, forcing Qiancheng Airport to close. We will have to bear the losses from the airport closure."

"Go and compile a detailed report on the casualties. I need it in detail. Also, coordinate with the airport and hospitals to see how much the losses are. If Xingyou has any financial problems, report the situation to the group's finance department, and I'll tell them to handle it as soon as possible." Wen Jingshu waved her hand, "You can go now."

Luo Qing nodded and left first, as he would have a lot of work to do afterward.

Yang Ning stayed by Wen Jingshu's side as always, and whispered in Wen Jingshu's ear, "Miss, I'll keep an eye on things here. Why don't you go back first?"

At this moment, Wen Jingshu was in a really bad state, and Yang Ning was very worried about whether she could hold on.

"It's alright." Wen Jingshu found a place to sit down. "Aunt Ning, please have the Star Trek Flight Department contact the Bureau immediately. They must fulfill any requests the Bureau makes for cooperation in the investigation. Also, hasn't the cause of the incident been determined yet?"

"No! The investigation team is currently looking for the plane's black box. However, it seems the black box is damaged, and we don't know if it will affect the stored data," Yang Ning said worriedly.

"What did you say? The black box is damaged? Shouldn't a black box be very sturdy? How could it be damaged?" Even if she wasn't a professional in the aviation industry, Wen Jingshu knew that the black box was constructed to be extremely robust. It contained invaluable flight data, crucial references for the investigation. Such an important item would certainly be protected with extreme care during manufacturing; how could it possibly be damaged?

In Wen Jingshu's mind, given Xu Xian's situation, she didn't believe that Xu Xian would cause the plane to run off the runway due to pilot error; it was more likely due to some objective reasons.

But if the data in the black box is damaged, then crucial evidence of what happened to the plane will be lost. Wouldn't that leave Xu Xian with no way to clear his name?

In any formal investigation, witness testimony isn't as valuable as one might imagine, because people can lie. Even if the flight crew were to regain consciousness and provide a detailed account of what happened, I have absolutely no confidence in the extent to which their testimony will be accepted.

Yang Ning said, "The black box is indeed very sturdy, but there have been several instances of black boxes breaking in the past, and there's nothing that can be done about it. Now we can only hope that the technicians can extract enough useful data. Perhaps the black box itself is damaged, but the data inside hasn't been affected?"

"But what if it's affected?" Wen Jingshu suddenly looked up and stared directly at Yang Ning. Her eyes were bloodshot, clearly from crying just moments before. "If the data is lost, who will prove what happened back then?"

Human factors and objective factors are two completely different concepts!

A plane crash caused by human error can destroy the image of an airline, or even a country's civil aviation. No one can bear that responsibility!

Data is always the most convincing, but the fact that this most valuable data is at risk of being lost is terrifying for Wen Jingshu.

"How is the investigation progressing?"

Yang Ning: "The investigation has only just begun. However, the Qiancheng control tower did not receive any emergency report from the crew at the beginning. The weather report at the time also showed that it met the standards. In addition, the tower controllers did not visually observe any malfunction of the aircraft."

For some malfunctions, air traffic controllers can visually observe them, such as fire alarms or landing gear failures. Of course, visual observation by controllers doesn't hold much significance, as many malfunctions are invisible to the naked eye. However, considering that the flight crew didn't report any malfunctions, it's highly likely that the aircraft itself is not the problem, or that the crew was unaware of the aircraft's malfunction.

Even without the black box, investigators can still examine the aircraft's condition through the wreckage.

Wen Jingshu suddenly said, "What if it was due to weather? All the meteorological data the plane encountered is in the black box. If it wasn't due to mechanical failure, but rather weather or turbulence, then if the data in the black box is damaged, the meteorological data will certainly be lost as well. What evidence would there be to prove the weather conditions the plane encountered at the time?"

Yang Ning was speechless; she had actually considered this question as well. If it was a mechanical failure of the aircraft, even without a black box, there would always be some clues on the remaining wreckage, and these clues would be somewhat convincing.

But meteorological data is different; it's all stored in black boxes. If the data in the black boxes is damaged, there's really nothing that can be done.

As for the so-called airport weather reports, they can only give a general overview of the overall weather conditions in a certain area. As for the rapid changes in weather in certain small areas, they cannot be detected without special equipment.

How could a small airport like Qiancheng Airport possibly have sophisticated weather detection equipment? It only has the most basic weather detection equipment that meets the minimum standards, and it is completely helpless in the face of small-scale weather changes in the landing area.

If it is indeed caused by a sudden change in weather conditions in a small area, and the weather data in the black box is damaged, then that would be the worst-case scenario.

At this point, there is absolutely no evidence to prove whether drastic weather changes occurred, and the flight crew's account alone is simply unconvincing. In this situation, the flight crew may find themselves with nowhere to seek redress.

There's no way to defend myself! This is the worst-case scenario!

"Miss, there's no use thinking about it now. Let's wait for the technicians to extract the data from the black box. Maybe the data isn't damaged?" Yang Ning said.

Wen Jingshu bit her lip. For now, all she could do was wait. No matter how much she pondered, it seemed to do no good other than scare herself.

"Furthermore, the damage from this incident may be incalculable, and since there's no insurance company to cover it, Xingyou Airlines will have to bear all the losses itself. I feel that Xingyou Airlines probably can't withstand this, and even with the group's capabilities, it might be a bit of a strain," Yang Ning said worriedly. "This matter involves a lot of people, and even if you talk to the group's finance department, it might not be effective. With such a large flow of funds, the board of directors will definitely take notice, and some problems may arise."

According to Yang Ning's estimate, the losses from this incident are far beyond what Xingyou Airlines' financial reserves can handle, and they will ultimately have to accept assistance from the group.

However, the hole created by this incident was too big, so big that even the entire Wens Group was struggling to cope. Moreover, the insurance company had already withdrawn its coverage before this, so it could not help share the burden of the losses, leaving them to manage the situation on their own, which only made matters worse.

Nominally, Xingyou Airlines belongs to the Wens Group, so the group should cover for it if it runs into problems. However, if the problems become too serious, the group might not fulfill this obligation. At least, Yang Ning felt that Wen Jingshu's plan to have the group's finance department allocate funds to Xingyou Airlines wouldn't go so smoothly.

"It feels like the weather's about to change!"

Star Travel Aviation Flight Mark Office.

"I heard Xu Xian had an accident. The plane broke in two. It was terrible. I wonder how he is now."

"Yes! Instructor Ning Sheng seems to be up there too. I wonder if he's injured?"

"What exactly is going on this time? There are all sorts of speculations and theories online, and none of them seem reliable. I heard that President Luo Qing has already gone to Qiancheng, so why are we still getting news from him?"

"What happened this time? How could the plane be flown like this?"

"There's a rumor that the plane itself wasn't the problem; it was the crew's fault," one of the pilots gossiped.

These words immediately caused a commotion in the office.

"No way! Both Xu Xian and Instructor Ning Sheng are incredibly skilled. How could it be due to improper operation? That doesn't make sense!"

These are all staff members of the Flight Mark team, responsible for pilot training, inspections, and qualification matters all day long. After working for a long time, they basically know who flies well and who flies poorly.

Xu Xian, of course, needs no introduction; his skills have been proven through numerous special operations. Ning Sheng, on the other hand, is a renowned young talent in Star Trek; his training and inspection records are outstanding, and his instructors and inspectors consistently rate him highly. One or two instances might not mean much, but consistently excellent training and inspection feedback speaks volumes.

Ning Sheng's reputation extends beyond training and inspections; he also enjoys an excellent track record when mentoring co-pilots. This stems not only from his amiable personality but also from his solid technical skills, which have earned him the sincere respect of his co-pilots.

How did Xu Xian and Ning Sheng, two pilots with absolutely no technical problems, manage to create such a huge mess when they got together?

The people in Feibiao's office were completely baffled.

Just as gossip was flowing freely in the Feibiao office, a group of people suddenly burst in through the door. The leader showed his identification: "I'm from the Aviation Safety Department of the Yunnan Provincial Aviation Regulatory Bureau. Who is your head of the archives?"

Upon hearing that they were from the Bureau, the previously noisy Feibiao office immediately fell silent, and everyone tacitly stopped talking about Xu Xian and Ning Sheng.

"I am..." At this moment, a middle-aged man raised his hand: "May I ask what brings you here?"

"I need Xu Xian and Ning Sheng's training records for the past year. I need to check the records, all originals!" the official said. "Also, print out their QAR warning data; I need to take it with me."

"If there's a QAR warning, you need to go to the Quality Center," the records manager said casually, then quickly realized it wasn't a good way to put it and changed his mind: "Okay, I'll bring you the paper version of the QAR data later too."

"By the way, where is your AOC director?" the bureau representative asked.

"Is this General Manager Wei?" The head of the archives pointed upwards. "The company leaders should all be in a meeting on the tenth floor right now. General Manager Wei should be over there."

"Tenth floor." The official nodded. "You can prepare the files first; I'll go upstairs."

As he spoke, he assigned another person to supervise the area, and then went upstairs to find someone.

The office of the chairman of Wens Group.

Old Master Wen Changxing sat on the sofa listening to the financial director's report, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

"You mean Jing Shu wants you to cooperate with Xingyou Aviation unconditionally? Did she explicitly tell you that?" Wen Changxing asked.

The CFO nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's what the chairman told me. But we've estimated that Xingyou Airlines' funding gap this time is conservatively around one billion. And that's just the direct economic loss; the indirect economic losses it will cause are incalculable."

Almost everyone on board the flight was injured, many seriously, and the medical expenses alone will be enormous. Furthermore, the initial assessment of the damaged Xingfei Airlines plane indicates it is beyond repair, which will also result in huge costs. Meanwhile, the airport's compensation plan has not yet been finalized, as Qiancheng Airport remains closed, and the amount of compensation increases with every passing second.

This is the most conservative estimate based on the information available. Losses in other areas may not have been calculated yet. It can only be said that the losses will be more than one billion, not less.

Moreover, this is only what is visible and most direct; the indirect losses caused by this are even more numerous and immeasurable.

"One billion!" Wen Changxing slammed his dragon-headed cane heavily on the floor. "In the worst-case scenario, one billion might just be the beginning."

"There are claims that the incident was caused by crew mismanagement. If it was indeed caused by human factors, then the nature of the incident is completely different, and the financial hole will be enormous, affecting our entire group." The CFO said worriedly, "In recent years, we have invested a lot in Kunyang Airport, and our funds are already insufficient. If we are affected by Star Travel Airlines, there is a risk that our cash flow may be disrupted."

What about the group's stock price?

"There has been a slight decline, but it's still relatively stable. The news hasn't spread yet, so we can't see the exact scope of the impact. However, we should be able to see the extent of the impact in the next couple of days," the CFO said. "The group's stock price is relatively stable, but Chimelong Airlines' decline is quite significant. If this continues, one of our group's pillars will be in serious trouble."

The Wens Group has thrived on three pillars: construction, healthcare, and aviation. While the group is currently relatively stable, Chimelong Airlines, representing the aviation industry, has already shown signs of being affected. If Wens were to suffer a severe blow as a result, it would undoubtedly be an extremely painful loss for the group.

If we consider the worst-case scenario, this crisis at Star Travel could potentially spread to the entire group. At that point, it wouldn't be as simple as losing a pillar; it would shake the very foundation of the group.

"The foundation laid by Xingyou Airlines is quite good. At least before the investigation report is released, there shouldn't be any chain reaction," Wen Changxing said.

The foundation laid by Xingyou Airlines is simply that its handling of several previous emergencies was relatively good, and it still has a positive image in the eyes of the public. It is unlikely that it will start to turn against the government on a large scale in the short term because of some rumors.

"But the higher you're lifted, the harder you fall! If the investigation report is unfavorable to the crew, the criticism Star Travel will face will be unstoppable." The CFO was in a state of turmoil. For an airline, its brand lifeline is its image of safety in the public's mind.

Safety is the top priority in civil aviation. Without ensuring safety, no matter how fancy the airline is, it will be in vain.

If this incident was caused by human error, it will be a devastating blow to Star Travel's safety image in the public eye. When the public perceives an airline as unsafe, its reputation suffers, leading to endless losses for the operator.

That's why Wen Changxing said that 1 billion might just be the beginning.

"Regardless, first summarize Xingyou's funding needs and report them to me. In any case, the medical expenses for the personnel, the losses to the airport, and the loss of that Xingfei Airlines plane must be compensated. As for the rest..." Wen Changxing's mind raced. He actually thought of a strategy of sacrificing a pawn to save the king, but he couldn't bring himself to say it: "Let's leave it at that for now. We'll have to wait for the investigation results before we can discuss anything else."

After Wen Changxing finished explaining the matter, the CFO did not leave immediately, but continued, "Chairman, if the investigation results of this incident are indeed due to human manipulation, then Star Travel Airlines simply cannot withstand it. Even if the group continues to inject funds into Star Travel Airlines, the brand will be ruined, and no amount of funding will help."

Although Wen Changxing was only the former chairman, he had great prestige, and the CFO still preferred to call him chairman; it was just a matter of habit.

"What do you want to say?" Wen Changxing asked expressionlessly.

The CFO whispered, "If the investigation confirms human error, then Star Travel Airlines will lose all value in being bailed out. As long as it exists, it's meaningless to the group except for losing money. It's better to file for bankruptcy liquidation as soon as possible to avoid future problems!"

Wen Changxing's eyelids twitched, but he quickly recovered and said calmly, "Is this your idea, or the board's idea?"

With such a big incident, Wen Changxing couldn't believe that the board members were unaware of it.

"Chairman, this is just my idea, but the final decision rests with you," the CFO said respectfully.

Wen Changxing pondered for a moment: "The situation is still unclear; everything depends on the investigation results. However, you can discuss it with the legal department. If it truly was human error, then Xingyou's bankruptcy liquidation would be the only option!"

(End of this chapter)