Story Archive

Sum Dum Gais

When a Korean 777 airliner crashed on landing in San Francisco, Calif., local media was all over the story. TV station KTVU, located across the bay, kept on the story to show its big-city chops. It even had an exclusive: the names of the four pilots in the cockpit. They showed the names on-screen, noting that they had been “confirmed” by the National Transportation Safety Board, as the anchor read them aloud: “Captain Sum Ting Wong, Wi Tu Lo, Ho Lee Fuk, and Bang Ding Ow.” Even after saying the names out loud, the anchor didn’t seem to realize that something was wrong; the names were a gag. The station quickly apologized, but didn’t say where they got the names. The NTSB also apologized, saying the “confirmation” came from a summer intern. Meanwhile, Asiana Airlines says the report “badly damaged” their reputation, and it is “considering legal action.” (RC/AP) ...That list of names didn’t say anything about the airline’s reputation, only the TV station’s reputation. But suing over it would definitely damage the airline’s reputation.