Jetstar pilots 'afraid to report risks'
JETSTAR pilots are too afraid to speak out about dangerous overtime and fatigue risks because they are worried about losing their jobs, a Senate inquiry has heard.
An internal Civil Aviation Safety Authority audit of fatigue management at Jetstar, from May 2010, found there was a lack of evidence to demonstrate Jetstar was making appropriate fatigue risk assessment. The audit was tabled by independent senator Nick Xenophon yesterday at a committee hearing into pilot training and airline safety.
The report found "based on feedback from operational personnel, it is not considered Jetstar management has created a culture of open and honest reporting of fatigue risk. "There remains reluctance from a number of flight crew to report fatigue risk and/or to say no to an extension of duty based on the perceived punitive nature of taking such actions."
The vice-president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, Captain Richard Woodward, said there was "a culture of fear and intimidation at that airline". He said AIPA had received dozens of complaints from Jetstar pilots about dangerous working hours, including short turnaround times. All refused to go on the record because they didn't want to lose their job.
CASA director of aviation safety John McCormick said issues in the internal audit had been satisfactorily dealt with, and tabled a subsequent CASA report into fatigue risk at Jetstar, which found fatigue management was reactive and a more proactive system of fatigue risk was in a concept stage.
Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said safety was the airline's priority and CASA regularly undertook such audits. He said the audit "delivered no formal request for corrective action into areas assessed". "Jetstar is currently formalising its integrated fatigue risk management system in accordance with best practice."
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Jetstar flight crew feared death
A JETSTAR flight crew feared for their lives late last year after their plane came close to crashing during a tropical storm over Darwin, a Senate inquiry has heard. The hearing was told that the A320 passenger jet would not climb and stalled for several minutes.
A Qantas A380 captain, who gave evidence on behalf of the pilot of the Jetstar plane, told the inquiry that a report given to him of the incident told how the pilot and first officer were convinced they would crash.
Richard Woodward, the A380 captain representing the Australian International Airline Pilots' Association, said it was strange the Australian Transport Safety Bureau had closed an inquiry given that the incident was so serious.
"He (the pilot) was quite concerned and thought that they were going to die because of the severe weather event. It (the plane) actually stopped climbing for quite some period of time," Capt Woodward said. "The storm was directly overhead and they (the pilots) couldn't have seen it," he said.
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Sunday, March 20, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Qantas can't even do business class well
Like Chris Heenan (Traveller, February 19), I too had a horror trip on Qantas in business class on a flight from Melbourne to London. The leg to Hong Kong was fine but after that the service was non-existent.
Breakfast was served immediately after we left Hong Kong. Then nothing. After about six hours I asked when the next meal would be served as my husband has diabetes and needed to take insulin an hour before he ate. The answer was it would be some time but that snacks were available. So I ordered two tuna sandwiches: one hour and two more requests later they arrived.
Finally, pre-dinner drink orders were taken. Those drinks never arrived. Dinner was a rushed affair and plates were removed speedily as we were descending.
Add to this the help requested to extricate a jammed remote control, which also never came, making a much-anticipated trip very disappointing. This was in business class. Our return trip in premium economy was more enjoyable.
- Wendy Dalton
SOURCE
Like Chris Heenan (Traveller, February 19), I too had a horror trip on Qantas in business class on a flight from Melbourne to London. The leg to Hong Kong was fine but after that the service was non-existent.
Breakfast was served immediately after we left Hong Kong. Then nothing. After about six hours I asked when the next meal would be served as my husband has diabetes and needed to take insulin an hour before he ate. The answer was it would be some time but that snacks were available. So I ordered two tuna sandwiches: one hour and two more requests later they arrived.
Finally, pre-dinner drink orders were taken. Those drinks never arrived. Dinner was a rushed affair and plates were removed speedily as we were descending.
Add to this the help requested to extricate a jammed remote control, which also never came, making a much-anticipated trip very disappointing. This was in business class. Our return trip in premium economy was more enjoyable.
- Wendy Dalton
SOURCE
Friday, March 4, 2011
Jetstar sorry for 'inhumane' treatment
JETSTAR has come under fire over its "inhumane" policies in three separate incidents following the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. Travellers Gillian Smith, Lee Stanish and an unidentified woman all say they were left horrified at their treatment at the hands of Jetstar staff.
Mrs Smith was booked to fly to Melbourne tomorrow to take a break from the aftershocks following the September 4 quake and visit her daughter Sarah, the New Zealand Herald reported. However after last week’s quake Mrs Smith decided to stay at her Christchurch home to look after it, planning to fly to Australia at a later date.
Her daughter took up the task of dealing with Jetstar as Mrs Smith did not have a phone or electricity, but had no luck with her battle for a refund. The airline demanded photographic evidence signed by authorities that passenger’s home was damaged in Christchurch quake before giving her money back, a move Ms Smith called "inhumane". “Seriously, do the police not have enough to do?” Ms Smith said.
Jetstar has apologised for the “mistake” and resolved the matter quickly after being contacted by the media.
Meanwhile Lee Stanish, from Auckland, has accused the airline of lacking compassion for wanting to charge her to transfer her tickets to a family who lost someone in the Christchurch earthquake, NZPA reported. Ms Stanish bought four Jetstar return tickets from Auckland to Christchurch for a family holiday between March 17 and 20.
After seeing the devastation of the quake the family decided to give the tickets to a family who needed to travel to Christchurch for a funeral. However she was told by Jetstar that it would cost $NZ50 ($36) per name change on the ticket, and an extra charge for the difference in price on the new tickets. "How does it work? I don't understand where the compassion is," she said. "Does it really matter who's sitting on the seats?"
However, Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said the rules were very clear when people bought tickets. He said Jetstar had been very accommodating over the quake, offering full refunds until Wednesday, and now offering vouchers. "We are being as flexible as we can."
Earlier this week a Wellington woman was told she would not get a refund for her Jetstar ticket bought to attend her graduation at the University of Canterbury next month. "I'm very frustrated because it's as a direct result of the earthquake, they should have included this into their earthquake consideration," she said.
SOURCE
JETSTAR has come under fire over its "inhumane" policies in three separate incidents following the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. Travellers Gillian Smith, Lee Stanish and an unidentified woman all say they were left horrified at their treatment at the hands of Jetstar staff.
Mrs Smith was booked to fly to Melbourne tomorrow to take a break from the aftershocks following the September 4 quake and visit her daughter Sarah, the New Zealand Herald reported. However after last week’s quake Mrs Smith decided to stay at her Christchurch home to look after it, planning to fly to Australia at a later date.
Her daughter took up the task of dealing with Jetstar as Mrs Smith did not have a phone or electricity, but had no luck with her battle for a refund. The airline demanded photographic evidence signed by authorities that passenger’s home was damaged in Christchurch quake before giving her money back, a move Ms Smith called "inhumane". “Seriously, do the police not have enough to do?” Ms Smith said.
Jetstar has apologised for the “mistake” and resolved the matter quickly after being contacted by the media.
Meanwhile Lee Stanish, from Auckland, has accused the airline of lacking compassion for wanting to charge her to transfer her tickets to a family who lost someone in the Christchurch earthquake, NZPA reported. Ms Stanish bought four Jetstar return tickets from Auckland to Christchurch for a family holiday between March 17 and 20.
After seeing the devastation of the quake the family decided to give the tickets to a family who needed to travel to Christchurch for a funeral. However she was told by Jetstar that it would cost $NZ50 ($36) per name change on the ticket, and an extra charge for the difference in price on the new tickets. "How does it work? I don't understand where the compassion is," she said. "Does it really matter who's sitting on the seats?"
However, Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said the rules were very clear when people bought tickets. He said Jetstar had been very accommodating over the quake, offering full refunds until Wednesday, and now offering vouchers. "We are being as flexible as we can."
Earlier this week a Wellington woman was told she would not get a refund for her Jetstar ticket bought to attend her graduation at the University of Canterbury next month. "I'm very frustrated because it's as a direct result of the earthquake, they should have included this into their earthquake consideration," she said.
SOURCE
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Passengers in rage over new Qantas check-in
AIRPORT workers have been given panic alarms following a spike in confrontations with passengers following "issues" with Qantas' new automated check-in system. The Australian Services Union (ASU) said many passengers have been left frustrated and outraged when trying to use the new technology, which Qantas began trialling at Perth Airport in July last year.
The trial involved 100,000 of the airline’s frequent flyers, asking them to be more hands-on in the check-in process – such as weighing their own bags.
ASU Federal Secretary Linda White said there have been “a lot of issues” with the new technology, which has led to an increase in incidents involving disruptive passengers. “Passengers are pretty upset about the automated check-in, especially premium passengers as they don’t want to have to do things like carry their own bags,” Ms White said.
“Attacks on our members can range from being spat on or being verbally harassed, and there has been an increase in these kind of incidents since the automated check-in systems were introduced in Perth.”
Ms White said many passengers simply don’t understand how to use the system, which asks them to weigh their bags, pay for excess baggage charges and modify their booking information before checking-in luggage at the automated bag-drop point. “It’s very hard to figure out what to do,” Ms White said.
Qantas has denied the new check-in system is causing problems and said no staff members have used the new duress alarm. “Overwhelmingly, we are getting positive feedback from our customers and the time to check-in has been cut dramatically.”
Currently only about one quarter of the staff at the Perth terminal have the portable device, and the ASU says that every single airport worker should have one. Duress alarms are already installed behind the airport check-in counters, but this is of little use to those workers who aren’t behind the desks.
SOURCE
AIRPORT workers have been given panic alarms following a spike in confrontations with passengers following "issues" with Qantas' new automated check-in system. The Australian Services Union (ASU) said many passengers have been left frustrated and outraged when trying to use the new technology, which Qantas began trialling at Perth Airport in July last year.
The trial involved 100,000 of the airline’s frequent flyers, asking them to be more hands-on in the check-in process – such as weighing their own bags.
ASU Federal Secretary Linda White said there have been “a lot of issues” with the new technology, which has led to an increase in incidents involving disruptive passengers. “Passengers are pretty upset about the automated check-in, especially premium passengers as they don’t want to have to do things like carry their own bags,” Ms White said.
“Attacks on our members can range from being spat on or being verbally harassed, and there has been an increase in these kind of incidents since the automated check-in systems were introduced in Perth.”
Ms White said many passengers simply don’t understand how to use the system, which asks them to weigh their bags, pay for excess baggage charges and modify their booking information before checking-in luggage at the automated bag-drop point. “It’s very hard to figure out what to do,” Ms White said.
Qantas has denied the new check-in system is causing problems and said no staff members have used the new duress alarm. “Overwhelmingly, we are getting positive feedback from our customers and the time to check-in has been cut dramatically.”
Currently only about one quarter of the staff at the Perth terminal have the portable device, and the ASU says that every single airport worker should have one. Duress alarms are already installed behind the airport check-in counters, but this is of little use to those workers who aren’t behind the desks.
SOURCE
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
New mid-air engine drama for Qantas
QANTAS and Rolls-Royce are again at odds on another engine failure on one of the carrier's biggest planes. The shutdown, overflying Turkmenistan, followed a series of unsuccessful bids by the flight crew to keep the engine operating.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, investigating, said the decision to cut thrust was amid crew concerns on oil quality.
The same problem had another Qantas A380 limp into London on three engines two weeks earlier. Singapore Airlines, which also flies Rolls-Royce-powered A380s, has had this problem.
A Qantas spokesman said that an engineering inspection on both planes after they arrived in London had found an external line feeding oil to the engine was fitted incorrectly.
SOURCE
QANTAS and Rolls-Royce are again at odds on another engine failure on one of the carrier's biggest planes. The shutdown, overflying Turkmenistan, followed a series of unsuccessful bids by the flight crew to keep the engine operating.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, investigating, said the decision to cut thrust was amid crew concerns on oil quality.
The same problem had another Qantas A380 limp into London on three engines two weeks earlier. Singapore Airlines, which also flies Rolls-Royce-powered A380s, has had this problem.
A Qantas spokesman said that an engineering inspection on both planes after they arrived in London had found an external line feeding oil to the engine was fitted incorrectly.
SOURCE
Friday, February 25, 2011
The "f*** you" airline again
Slugging nurse with new fare wasn't great, Jetstar admits
Jetstar's boss, Bruce Buchanan, has conceded that "we were not on our best form" when it tried to charge a nurse for an additional fare after she had attempted to save the life of a fellow passenger.
The mid-air incident on the flight from Singapore to Adelaide on November 6 was one of the matters put to Mr Buchanan and Qantas’s chief executive, Alan Joyce, in Canberra today when they fronted a Senate inquiry into aviation safety and pilot training.
Passengers on JQ62 noticed that an elderly man had spent an "inordinate amount of time" in the toilet, South Australian senator Nick Xenophon told the inquiry today. But one of the passengers, who was a nurse, had difficulty making a flight attendant aware of the the severity of the situation. When the toilet door was finally opened, the 86-year-old man was found slumped over after suffering a heart attack.
Senator Xenophon said the flight attendant did not know how to perform CPR so the nurse had worked to revive the fellow passenger. The flight was diverted to Darwin but he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The nurse had to stay overnight at Royal Darwin Hospital because the capillaries in her face broke because of her efforts to try to save the passenger. But Senator Xenophon said the nurse was not happy when Jetstar later tried to slug her for an additional fare.
Mr Buchanan said all of Jetstar’s cabin crew were put through CPR training and had refresher courses every two years. But he said it was standard practice for crews to ask whether any medically trained passengers were onboard aircraft when medical emergencies arose because doctors and nurses had "better capability" to handle such situations given their level of experience.
Referring to the incident on JQ62, Mr Buchanan told the inquiry: "I think we were not on our best form the next day when she was disrupted out of Darwin."
Mr Joyce also told the inquiry that safety was the company’s top priority and he rejected "the scaremongering and misinformation that has been put about" regarding practices at the airline. Qantas has about 50 people dedicated to safety while Jetstar has about 30.
Mr Joyce dismissed suggestions today from a senator that standards had been diminished due to cost cutting, and said there was no difference in standards and performance between Jetstar and Qantas.
SOURCE
Slugging nurse with new fare wasn't great, Jetstar admits
Jetstar's boss, Bruce Buchanan, has conceded that "we were not on our best form" when it tried to charge a nurse for an additional fare after she had attempted to save the life of a fellow passenger.
The mid-air incident on the flight from Singapore to Adelaide on November 6 was one of the matters put to Mr Buchanan and Qantas’s chief executive, Alan Joyce, in Canberra today when they fronted a Senate inquiry into aviation safety and pilot training.
Passengers on JQ62 noticed that an elderly man had spent an "inordinate amount of time" in the toilet, South Australian senator Nick Xenophon told the inquiry today. But one of the passengers, who was a nurse, had difficulty making a flight attendant aware of the the severity of the situation. When the toilet door was finally opened, the 86-year-old man was found slumped over after suffering a heart attack.
Senator Xenophon said the flight attendant did not know how to perform CPR so the nurse had worked to revive the fellow passenger. The flight was diverted to Darwin but he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The nurse had to stay overnight at Royal Darwin Hospital because the capillaries in her face broke because of her efforts to try to save the passenger. But Senator Xenophon said the nurse was not happy when Jetstar later tried to slug her for an additional fare.
Mr Buchanan said all of Jetstar’s cabin crew were put through CPR training and had refresher courses every two years. But he said it was standard practice for crews to ask whether any medically trained passengers were onboard aircraft when medical emergencies arose because doctors and nurses had "better capability" to handle such situations given their level of experience.
Referring to the incident on JQ62, Mr Buchanan told the inquiry: "I think we were not on our best form the next day when she was disrupted out of Darwin."
Mr Joyce also told the inquiry that safety was the company’s top priority and he rejected "the scaremongering and misinformation that has been put about" regarding practices at the airline. Qantas has about 50 people dedicated to safety while Jetstar has about 30.
Mr Joyce dismissed suggestions today from a senator that standards had been diminished due to cost cutting, and said there was no difference in standards and performance between Jetstar and Qantas.
SOURCE
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Qantas plane gets the wobbles during takeoff
THE take-off of a Qantas A330 passenger plane has been aborted in Perth when the crew felt a sideways movement of the aircraft, the airline has said.
Sydney-bound Flight 566, with 180 passengers aboard, was racing down the runway at the domestic airport around 3.15pm today when the "rejected take-off" occurred, a Qantas spokesman said. "At about 140km/h, which is still well below take-off speed, the flight crew just detected a slight lateral movement in the aircraft which they weren't expecting," he said. "They did what we call a rejected take-off, so they basically hit the brakes and stopped the aircraft."
That caused the plane's brakes to heat up and, in line with procedure, fire appliances were called to help cool the brakes before the aircraft could return to the terminal.
The plane was back at the terminal at 4.20pm and passengers were looked after while it was determined what caused the problem and how to rectify it, the spokesman said. "There were no safety issues, the crew responded as would be expected."
It was hoped to get the flight away later on Wednesday, the spokesman said.
It is the second Qantas flight to be abandoned from Perth this week after a Melbourne-bound plane was forced to land back at Perth shortly after take-off on Monday due to an electrical fault.
SOURCE
THE take-off of a Qantas A330 passenger plane has been aborted in Perth when the crew felt a sideways movement of the aircraft, the airline has said.
Sydney-bound Flight 566, with 180 passengers aboard, was racing down the runway at the domestic airport around 3.15pm today when the "rejected take-off" occurred, a Qantas spokesman said. "At about 140km/h, which is still well below take-off speed, the flight crew just detected a slight lateral movement in the aircraft which they weren't expecting," he said. "They did what we call a rejected take-off, so they basically hit the brakes and stopped the aircraft."
That caused the plane's brakes to heat up and, in line with procedure, fire appliances were called to help cool the brakes before the aircraft could return to the terminal.
The plane was back at the terminal at 4.20pm and passengers were looked after while it was determined what caused the problem and how to rectify it, the spokesman said. "There were no safety issues, the crew responded as would be expected."
It was hoped to get the flight away later on Wednesday, the spokesman said.
It is the second Qantas flight to be abandoned from Perth this week after a Melbourne-bound plane was forced to land back at Perth shortly after take-off on Monday due to an electrical fault.
SOURCE
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
It never stops: Perth to Melbourne flight delayed after electrical problems
A QANTAS flight from WA to Melbourne has been forced to return to Perth due to 'serious electrical problems'. The Qantas 767 aircraft, flight QF476 to Melbourne, circled Perth for 30 minutes after a delayed takeoff caused by a generator fault in one engine, passengers were told.
The captain cleared the plane for departure but further problems are believed to have occurred during take-off and the decision was made to turn the aircraft back. It sat on the tarmac for a further 20 minutes awaiting a dock.
A spokesman for the airline said: "A flight from Perth to Melbourne was turned back as a precaution following a minor electrical issue. All passengers have been accommodated on later flights."
A passengers said it appeared to be an intention for the Qantas engineers to check the plane at dock but the captain told them that the problems were more serious than first thought and that the plane "wasn't going anywhere".
One passenger said, "We were told in the air there was an electrical problem. Then when we landed back in Perth they were 'serious electrical problems'." The passengers were told to disembark and await further notice.
It has caused disruption for scores of passengers en route to Sydney, the Gold Coast and Hobart.
SOURCE
A QANTAS flight from WA to Melbourne has been forced to return to Perth due to 'serious electrical problems'. The Qantas 767 aircraft, flight QF476 to Melbourne, circled Perth for 30 minutes after a delayed takeoff caused by a generator fault in one engine, passengers were told.
The captain cleared the plane for departure but further problems are believed to have occurred during take-off and the decision was made to turn the aircraft back. It sat on the tarmac for a further 20 minutes awaiting a dock.
A spokesman for the airline said: "A flight from Perth to Melbourne was turned back as a precaution following a minor electrical issue. All passengers have been accommodated on later flights."
A passengers said it appeared to be an intention for the Qantas engineers to check the plane at dock but the captain told them that the problems were more serious than first thought and that the plane "wasn't going anywhere".
One passenger said, "We were told in the air there was an electrical problem. Then when we landed back in Perth they were 'serious electrical problems'." The passengers were told to disembark and await further notice.
It has caused disruption for scores of passengers en route to Sydney, the Gold Coast and Hobart.
SOURCE
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Qantas 'case' studies
As a frequent flyer to Hong Kong, I have found the recent service on Qantas flights unacceptable.
Case 1: During the meal service I was asked if I would prefer chicken or fish. "Chicken please." "Sorry sir, we have run out of chicken." "Then I suppose I will have to have the fish." "Sorry sir, no fish!" I was then offered a cup of noodles.
Case 2: A passenger next to me mentioned to the cabin attendant that his TV monitor was not working properly. The attendant suggested he lean over and watch mine.
Case 3: My tray table would not sit open correctly. The cabin attendant suggested I place the meal on my lap. I spent the next hour removing Moroccan lamb from my attire.
- Chris Heenan
SOURCE
New problem hits Qantas A380 engine
A clear case of negligent maintenance
Air-safety inspectors are investigating oil problems with an engine on a Qantas A380 superjumbo after pilots decided to reduce its thrust to idle about two hours out of London.
The pilots of the A380 noticed a gradual decrease in the amount of oil the number-four engine was using while flying over India's capital, New Delhi, on Tuesday during a service from Singapore.
The crew decided as a precaution to reduce the engine's thrust to idle about two hours' flying time away from Heathrow airport.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said an engineering inspection later found that an external oil line on the engine had not been correctly refitted after it had been removed for testing.
The Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine was one of many inspected in the weeks after a Qantas A380 suffered a midair engine explosion shortly after take-off from Singapore late last year.
Qantas said today that the latest problem "is not related in any way" to the QF32 incident on November 4, which forced the airline to ground its superjumbo fleet for weeks. It stressed that the engine was placed on idle thrust and was not shut down at any stage during the flight.
The A380 involved in the latest incident – the third that Qantas took delivery of – remains in service. The ATSB is continuing its investigation.
SOURCE
As a frequent flyer to Hong Kong, I have found the recent service on Qantas flights unacceptable.
Case 1: During the meal service I was asked if I would prefer chicken or fish. "Chicken please." "Sorry sir, we have run out of chicken." "Then I suppose I will have to have the fish." "Sorry sir, no fish!" I was then offered a cup of noodles.
Case 2: A passenger next to me mentioned to the cabin attendant that his TV monitor was not working properly. The attendant suggested he lean over and watch mine.
Case 3: My tray table would not sit open correctly. The cabin attendant suggested I place the meal on my lap. I spent the next hour removing Moroccan lamb from my attire.
- Chris Heenan
SOURCE
New problem hits Qantas A380 engine
A clear case of negligent maintenance
Air-safety inspectors are investigating oil problems with an engine on a Qantas A380 superjumbo after pilots decided to reduce its thrust to idle about two hours out of London.
The pilots of the A380 noticed a gradual decrease in the amount of oil the number-four engine was using while flying over India's capital, New Delhi, on Tuesday during a service from Singapore.
The crew decided as a precaution to reduce the engine's thrust to idle about two hours' flying time away from Heathrow airport.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said an engineering inspection later found that an external oil line on the engine had not been correctly refitted after it had been removed for testing.
The Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine was one of many inspected in the weeks after a Qantas A380 suffered a midair engine explosion shortly after take-off from Singapore late last year.
Qantas said today that the latest problem "is not related in any way" to the QF32 incident on November 4, which forced the airline to ground its superjumbo fleet for weeks. It stressed that the engine was placed on idle thrust and was not shut down at any stage during the flight.
The A380 involved in the latest incident – the third that Qantas took delivery of – remains in service. The ATSB is continuing its investigation.
SOURCE
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Jetstar: Passenger safety 'at risk due to cost cutting'
Airline safety is being eroded as operators cut crew training time and other costs, a senior pilot trainer has warned. Geoff Klouth, an A320 training captain with budget carrier Jetstar Airways, said a drop in training standards and checks had prompted him to make a submission to a Senate inquiry into airline safety.
"Safety margins that were a normal part of the aviation industries and which contributed to Australia's safety record have been and are being eroded to a point where airlines' safety can no longer be considered as a given," Mr Klouth told the inquiry in Canberra.
He said insufficient pilot and cabin crew training, poor rostering leading to increased fatigue and an overall reduction in resources were cause for concern. Airlines had cut the training time for cabin crew and were relying more on cadet pilots to drive down their operating costs, Mr Klouth said.
Mr Klouth said shortening the training time for cabin crew had implications for the operation of the aircraft and passenger safety. "If you are crammed with six weeks' worth of knowledge in three weeks, it is inevitable that you are not going to be able to recall all the important pieces of information that you need to," he said.
Mr Klouth recommended to the committee that training for a commercial pilot's licence be a minimum of 1500 hours and all airlines should release their draft or final reports on safety incidents to the ATSB.
He has previosly raised concerns about some flight attendants completing their training without having operated on the A321 aircraft, leaving them unsure how to "arm" the doors. "They have been unable to 'arm' doors. Arming the doors is necessary to allow for the automatic deployment of the emergency escape slide if the aircraft has to be evacuated," Mr Klouth said.
The increasing number of flight attendants who are based in Singapore and Bangkok yet operate domestically on international flights is also an issue of concern. “The foreign based crew all speak English but the ability to be understood in an emergency is an aspect of their training that is not effectively assessed.”
He said that airlines are under increasing pressure airlines to cut costs. “The CEO of Jetstar requires a 10 per cent reduction in the airline costs per year. In a safety sensitive industry this will result in a reduction of the safety margins that have contributed to Australia’s aviation safety record."
SOURCE
Airline safety is being eroded as operators cut crew training time and other costs, a senior pilot trainer has warned. Geoff Klouth, an A320 training captain with budget carrier Jetstar Airways, said a drop in training standards and checks had prompted him to make a submission to a Senate inquiry into airline safety.
"Safety margins that were a normal part of the aviation industries and which contributed to Australia's safety record have been and are being eroded to a point where airlines' safety can no longer be considered as a given," Mr Klouth told the inquiry in Canberra.
He said insufficient pilot and cabin crew training, poor rostering leading to increased fatigue and an overall reduction in resources were cause for concern. Airlines had cut the training time for cabin crew and were relying more on cadet pilots to drive down their operating costs, Mr Klouth said.
Mr Klouth said shortening the training time for cabin crew had implications for the operation of the aircraft and passenger safety. "If you are crammed with six weeks' worth of knowledge in three weeks, it is inevitable that you are not going to be able to recall all the important pieces of information that you need to," he said.
Mr Klouth recommended to the committee that training for a commercial pilot's licence be a minimum of 1500 hours and all airlines should release their draft or final reports on safety incidents to the ATSB.
He has previosly raised concerns about some flight attendants completing their training without having operated on the A321 aircraft, leaving them unsure how to "arm" the doors. "They have been unable to 'arm' doors. Arming the doors is necessary to allow for the automatic deployment of the emergency escape slide if the aircraft has to be evacuated," Mr Klouth said.
The increasing number of flight attendants who are based in Singapore and Bangkok yet operate domestically on international flights is also an issue of concern. “The foreign based crew all speak English but the ability to be understood in an emergency is an aspect of their training that is not effectively assessed.”
He said that airlines are under increasing pressure airlines to cut costs. “The CEO of Jetstar requires a 10 per cent reduction in the airline costs per year. In a safety sensitive industry this will result in a reduction of the safety margins that have contributed to Australia’s aviation safety record."
SOURCE
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Even Jetstar is a better airline than Qantas
IT'S SHOCKING really … but who was surprised that Qantas, having promised to get stranded Australians out of Egypt, left them waiting another 13 hours in the hell of Cairo airport due to "technical problems".
I don't doubt the endless mechanical failures and depressurisation incidents we hear every other day are overblown. No doubt they have always occurred routinely: it's just that passengers armed with Facebook, Twitter and video cameras didn't act as vigilante reporters in days gone by. Still, the dismal diary of "incidents" reported at Qantas is surely filling to the point where the brand - once the best in Australia - is a shadow of its former self.
Moreover, beyond such intangibles as brand decay, there are verifiable facts surrounding Qantas Airways - the ASX-listed holding company that covers all the subsidiaries - which are simply inescapable.
In the case of Qantas International, the company is stuck with archaically old planes and the attempts to refresh the fleet have been delayed, significantly with the dramatic problems in the A380s. The "super jumbos" were shaping up as a potential favourite among travellers until one of them had to make an emergency landing in Asia before Christmas.
The other plain truth about Qantas Airways is that strategically it is being sandwiched - rival global carriers such as Etihad are coming down hard, while its offshoot, Jetstar, is a better business on almost every measure and is moving upmarket.
No surprise then to hear that Alan Joyce, the former Ryanair and Jetstar executive who is head of Qantas Airways, is to run a strategic review of the airline. There is talk of joint ventures, of a renewed thrust into China and other initiatives.
Yet while Joyce hints at these changes, he also comes out with very negative comments about Qantas International - last week he said the division was falling "significantly short of expectations".
Meanwhile, Qantas stock is steady … in fact in recent days, despite a new fuel surcharge, the share price has started to lift. Why? Well, virtually every stockbroker in the market reckons Qantas Airways is a buy - the stock closed for the weekend at $2.41 yet the 12-month price targets from brokers range between $3 and $3.70.
The optimistic forecasts follow suggestions from analysts that Jetstar is now so strong - especially in Asia - it can deal with the drag imposed by Qantas International.
But you'd have to think that Joyce, himself a product of the low-budget Jetstar (and earlier of the ultra low-budget Ryanair), would have to consider closing down Qantas International as a potential way out of the conundrum he faces as boss of the whole show.
Joyce is highly regarded by many in the industry - crucially he has shown the ability to respond in a decisive manner to every issue thrown at him, including the unprecedented spectacle of European airports closed en masse due to clouds of Icelandic volcanic ash.
But would he move to close Qantas International, leaving us with a national airline called Jetstar? … I wouldn't rule it out; Jetstar now has the potential to be a better brand than Qantas.
SOURCE
IT'S SHOCKING really … but who was surprised that Qantas, having promised to get stranded Australians out of Egypt, left them waiting another 13 hours in the hell of Cairo airport due to "technical problems".
I don't doubt the endless mechanical failures and depressurisation incidents we hear every other day are overblown. No doubt they have always occurred routinely: it's just that passengers armed with Facebook, Twitter and video cameras didn't act as vigilante reporters in days gone by. Still, the dismal diary of "incidents" reported at Qantas is surely filling to the point where the brand - once the best in Australia - is a shadow of its former self.
Moreover, beyond such intangibles as brand decay, there are verifiable facts surrounding Qantas Airways - the ASX-listed holding company that covers all the subsidiaries - which are simply inescapable.
In the case of Qantas International, the company is stuck with archaically old planes and the attempts to refresh the fleet have been delayed, significantly with the dramatic problems in the A380s. The "super jumbos" were shaping up as a potential favourite among travellers until one of them had to make an emergency landing in Asia before Christmas.
The other plain truth about Qantas Airways is that strategically it is being sandwiched - rival global carriers such as Etihad are coming down hard, while its offshoot, Jetstar, is a better business on almost every measure and is moving upmarket.
No surprise then to hear that Alan Joyce, the former Ryanair and Jetstar executive who is head of Qantas Airways, is to run a strategic review of the airline. There is talk of joint ventures, of a renewed thrust into China and other initiatives.
Yet while Joyce hints at these changes, he also comes out with very negative comments about Qantas International - last week he said the division was falling "significantly short of expectations".
Meanwhile, Qantas stock is steady … in fact in recent days, despite a new fuel surcharge, the share price has started to lift. Why? Well, virtually every stockbroker in the market reckons Qantas Airways is a buy - the stock closed for the weekend at $2.41 yet the 12-month price targets from brokers range between $3 and $3.70.
The optimistic forecasts follow suggestions from analysts that Jetstar is now so strong - especially in Asia - it can deal with the drag imposed by Qantas International.
But you'd have to think that Joyce, himself a product of the low-budget Jetstar (and earlier of the ultra low-budget Ryanair), would have to consider closing down Qantas International as a potential way out of the conundrum he faces as boss of the whole show.
Joyce is highly regarded by many in the industry - crucially he has shown the ability to respond in a decisive manner to every issue thrown at him, including the unprecedented spectacle of European airports closed en masse due to clouds of Icelandic volcanic ash.
But would he move to close Qantas International, leaving us with a national airline called Jetstar? … I wouldn't rule it out; Jetstar now has the potential to be a better brand than Qantas.
SOURCE
Friday, February 4, 2011
What a hopeless mob! Qantas engine fault leaves Aussies stranded in Cairo
AUSTRALIANS trying to escape Egypt's violence have been left stranded due to an engine fault in a Qantas 747.
The free mercy flight, organised by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Qantas, was due to arrive at Frankfurt Airport, Germany, at 5.30am AEDT carrying Australian citizens. But at midnight the plane was still grounded at Frankfurt, unable to leave for Cairo.
About 50 Australians were waiting at Cairo Airport to be airlifted out of the strife-torn country last night.
It was the second free rescue flight deployed by the Australian Government. The first flight, carrying more than 190 people, landed in Frankfurt early today.
A spokesman last night confirmed the Qantas flight had not left Frankfurt Airport for Cairo due to engine problems and was being fixed by engineers. He said he was unable to say when the stranded Australians would be rescued but that they were committed to getting all citizens out of Egypt.
More than 700 Australians have registered with DFAT saying they needed to be evacuated from the troubled country.
SOURCE
AUSTRALIANS trying to escape Egypt's violence have been left stranded due to an engine fault in a Qantas 747.
The free mercy flight, organised by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Qantas, was due to arrive at Frankfurt Airport, Germany, at 5.30am AEDT carrying Australian citizens. But at midnight the plane was still grounded at Frankfurt, unable to leave for Cairo.
About 50 Australians were waiting at Cairo Airport to be airlifted out of the strife-torn country last night.
It was the second free rescue flight deployed by the Australian Government. The first flight, carrying more than 190 people, landed in Frankfurt early today.
A spokesman last night confirmed the Qantas flight had not left Frankfurt Airport for Cairo due to engine problems and was being fixed by engineers. He said he was unable to say when the stranded Australians would be rescued but that they were committed to getting all citizens out of Egypt.
More than 700 Australians have registered with DFAT saying they needed to be evacuated from the troubled country.
SOURCE
Friday, January 28, 2011
The "F*** you" airline again
Jetstar has cancelled all of today's Bali flights due to a volcanic ash cloud, as stranded passengers express anger over a lack of communication.
The airline has rejected accusations it is failing to effectively communicate with stranded Australians in Bali, after passengers claimed they had received little information from the airline.
"We've checked with the airline but they're hopeless," said passenger Simon Hammond, an advertising executive who is reaching the end of a two-week family holiday in Bali. "They've got absolutely no information available [and] don't answer their phones." "There is no information, there is no answer to any telephone calls, there is no SMS when they promise to do so," he said. "It's unbelieveable."
Mr Hammond's sentiments were echoed by other Jetstar passengers who contacted this website. "We have had no communication from Jetstar," said Luanne Hopkinson. "The accommodation they provided was very bad, many people including myself left. [We're] still waiting communication from Jetstar as to what flight we will be placed on," she said.
The travel plans of thousands of Australians have been thrown into chaos after an Indonesian volcano, the Tengger Caldera, erupted, belching a large ash plume into busy airspace yesterday.
About 2000 Jetstar passengers are affected today, about 700 of them are marooned in Bali from flights grounded last night.
Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway rejected accusations the airline was not doing its utmost to keep passengers informed and was putting contingencies in place. "We are communicating to customers, I take the point people might be frustrated. "We are doing everything we can: we are providing regular updates publicly, we are providing updates on the website and call centre.
"I appreciate that people could be frustrated but we are providing updates as best we can, and as reguarly as we can, and as accurately as we can," he said. "It's bit of a moving issue today - I reject the accusation that our organisation isn't being absolutely pro-active in keeping people informed and, importantly, pro-active in seeking to get people back to Australia. "We appreciate this issue. We are doing our absolute utmost," he said.
Mr Hammond, a brand mangement expert, advises leading companies on how to reach and engage with their customers. "Anyone I talk to about the brand of Jetstar say exactly the same thing: they are the worst service airline when it comes to giving you access to details and reassurance. "It's just re-emphasises that this brand only cares about costs, it doesn't care about passengers.
Mr Westaway said the uncertainty surrounding the movement of the ash cloud was hampering decisions, and in the meantime was assisting passengers. "We are meeting people's accommodation requirements, we will get them on flights to return them home, we are in the process of doing that. "At the moment we can't, as we are yet to make the call as to whether we can get aircraft there from the east coast of Australia.
"It's not a simple solution to say: 'I need information now, where is it?' We are not yet in a position to provide firm information about when people can return home.
"We've really got to get confidence that this volcanic ash plume has moved onwards and won't return and we're looking at a plan now to put in additional services to recover customers. It's a wait and see game for the next 12 to 24 hours. "Once we get comfort that the ash cloud moves well beyond the vacinity of the airport, we will be looking at additional services to bring people back.
Mr Westaway said Jetstar was formulating a recovery plan. "We are putting in place a plan over the next 24 hours to be able to do that. It's just very difficult at the moment to articulate that because we need to get some confidence the airspace is going to be able to be safe to operate in, in the evening when the majority of our services occur," Mr Westaway said. The airline's policy of fee waivers, rebookings and refunds applies, he said.
Flights were initially expected to restart this afternoon, staring with Jetstar's JQ116 10.05am (local time) Perth to Denpasar flight, but this has since been cancelled. Jetstar's website still listed the flight as operating on its volcano information page at 12.39pm and a Jetstar call centre staff member said the flight had departed.
SOURCE
Jetstar has cancelled all of today's Bali flights due to a volcanic ash cloud, as stranded passengers express anger over a lack of communication.
The airline has rejected accusations it is failing to effectively communicate with stranded Australians in Bali, after passengers claimed they had received little information from the airline.
"We've checked with the airline but they're hopeless," said passenger Simon Hammond, an advertising executive who is reaching the end of a two-week family holiday in Bali. "They've got absolutely no information available [and] don't answer their phones." "There is no information, there is no answer to any telephone calls, there is no SMS when they promise to do so," he said. "It's unbelieveable."
Mr Hammond's sentiments were echoed by other Jetstar passengers who contacted this website. "We have had no communication from Jetstar," said Luanne Hopkinson. "The accommodation they provided was very bad, many people including myself left. [We're] still waiting communication from Jetstar as to what flight we will be placed on," she said.
The travel plans of thousands of Australians have been thrown into chaos after an Indonesian volcano, the Tengger Caldera, erupted, belching a large ash plume into busy airspace yesterday.
About 2000 Jetstar passengers are affected today, about 700 of them are marooned in Bali from flights grounded last night.
Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway rejected accusations the airline was not doing its utmost to keep passengers informed and was putting contingencies in place. "We are communicating to customers, I take the point people might be frustrated. "We are doing everything we can: we are providing regular updates publicly, we are providing updates on the website and call centre.
"I appreciate that people could be frustrated but we are providing updates as best we can, and as reguarly as we can, and as accurately as we can," he said. "It's bit of a moving issue today - I reject the accusation that our organisation isn't being absolutely pro-active in keeping people informed and, importantly, pro-active in seeking to get people back to Australia. "We appreciate this issue. We are doing our absolute utmost," he said.
Mr Hammond, a brand mangement expert, advises leading companies on how to reach and engage with their customers. "Anyone I talk to about the brand of Jetstar say exactly the same thing: they are the worst service airline when it comes to giving you access to details and reassurance. "It's just re-emphasises that this brand only cares about costs, it doesn't care about passengers.
Mr Westaway said the uncertainty surrounding the movement of the ash cloud was hampering decisions, and in the meantime was assisting passengers. "We are meeting people's accommodation requirements, we will get them on flights to return them home, we are in the process of doing that. "At the moment we can't, as we are yet to make the call as to whether we can get aircraft there from the east coast of Australia.
"It's not a simple solution to say: 'I need information now, where is it?' We are not yet in a position to provide firm information about when people can return home.
"We've really got to get confidence that this volcanic ash plume has moved onwards and won't return and we're looking at a plan now to put in additional services to recover customers. It's a wait and see game for the next 12 to 24 hours. "Once we get comfort that the ash cloud moves well beyond the vacinity of the airport, we will be looking at additional services to bring people back.
Mr Westaway said Jetstar was formulating a recovery plan. "We are putting in place a plan over the next 24 hours to be able to do that. It's just very difficult at the moment to articulate that because we need to get some confidence the airspace is going to be able to be safe to operate in, in the evening when the majority of our services occur," Mr Westaway said. The airline's policy of fee waivers, rebookings and refunds applies, he said.
Flights were initially expected to restart this afternoon, staring with Jetstar's JQ116 10.05am (local time) Perth to Denpasar flight, but this has since been cancelled. Jetstar's website still listed the flight as operating on its volcano information page at 12.39pm and a Jetstar call centre staff member said the flight had departed.
SOURCE
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Qantas plane drops 20,000 feet during Melbourne-bound flight
Defective aircraft are now routine for Qantas. Their cost cutting will cause deaths in time
"Panicky" attendants were the first sign that something was "awfully wrong" on Qantas Flight 670 yesterday. The Boeing 737-400, which left Adelaide Airport at 6.20am bound for Melbourne, had been in the air for about 30 minutes when the airconditioning system suddenly depressurised and and oxygen masks dropped in the cabin.
The pilot was forced to plunge from 36,000 feet to 10,000 feet to stabilise the cabin pressure. One passenger, Simon, said the first they knew of the drama was when some of the flight attendants looked "panicky". "We knew there was something wrong because we were heading down," he said.
"We started powering down. It was quite a rapid rate. From there the masks dropped and they (the masks) sat there. We didn't know what it was for, there was no communication. "Finally we put on the masks and then the emergency message came across telling us `this is an emergency'.
"It appeared the flight attendants were looking at each other trying not to be the first ones that panicked - we knew something was awfully wrong. There was no yelling or screaming among the passengers, just a few people panicking, shaking, just generally scared for their lives." He said the passengers had their masks on for about 10 minutes.
A Qantas spokeswoman said the plane had a depressurisation problem in the cabin which was the result of an airconditioner fault. "There was no safety issue at any time, emergency services were not required to attend the aircraft, it was a normal routine landing," she said. "They (the crew) asked for a rapid descent as a result of a depressurisation. There was no medical assistance required."
SOURCE
Qantas 747 forced to return to Bangkok after engine problem
HOURS after a Qantas jet plunged almost 8000m during an emergency descent yesterday a Sydney-bound flight was forced to return to Bangkok because of engine problems.
Flight QF2 carrying 352 passengers was about 30 minutes into its flight from Bangkok International Airport when one of its engines began "consuming fuel more quickly than normal" a Qantas spokesman said. It was forced to return to Bangkok where it landed safely about 7pm local time (11pm AEST).
Affected passengers are expected to spend a second night in temporary accommodation with Qantas scrambling to send a replacement engine from Sydney for the troubled Boeing 747 today. "As far as possible we will try and get passengers who need to return to Sydney urgently on other flights but that will be dependent on availability on other airlines," the spokesman said.
"It was not actually an engine failure, (the pilots) did not shut the engine down they just reduced the thrust."
However one passenger on the flight says the engine "blew".
The spokesman said there were no other replacement Qantas aircraft available in Bangkok.
The latest safety drama for the besieged airline follows the emergency descent of a Boeing 737-400 yesterday after its cabin lost pressure on a flight from Adelaide to Melbourne.
Almost 100 passengers on board the flight were forced to wear oxygen masks as the plane plummeted 7900m to a height of 3000m.
Qantas said an air-conditioning fault caused the depressurisation.
Last week a trans-Pacific flight carrying 375 passengers diverted to Fiji after suffering an engine problem while in November Qantas suffered its most serious safety scare when an engine exploded mid-air en route to Sydney on board one of its flagship A380s.
Last night's incident was not the first time flight QF2 has been forced to land because of mechanical problems. In January 2008 the airline and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau launched an investigation after QF2 from London lost power from all four of its generators on its descent into Bangkok.
The 747 with 344 passengers on board lost electrical power about 15 minutes away from landing. At the time the ATSB said if the power failure occurred further away from an airport there could have been a serious accident.
SOURCE
Defective aircraft are now routine for Qantas. Their cost cutting will cause deaths in time
"Panicky" attendants were the first sign that something was "awfully wrong" on Qantas Flight 670 yesterday. The Boeing 737-400, which left Adelaide Airport at 6.20am bound for Melbourne, had been in the air for about 30 minutes when the airconditioning system suddenly depressurised and and oxygen masks dropped in the cabin.
The pilot was forced to plunge from 36,000 feet to 10,000 feet to stabilise the cabin pressure. One passenger, Simon, said the first they knew of the drama was when some of the flight attendants looked "panicky". "We knew there was something wrong because we were heading down," he said.
"We started powering down. It was quite a rapid rate. From there the masks dropped and they (the masks) sat there. We didn't know what it was for, there was no communication. "Finally we put on the masks and then the emergency message came across telling us `this is an emergency'.
"It appeared the flight attendants were looking at each other trying not to be the first ones that panicked - we knew something was awfully wrong. There was no yelling or screaming among the passengers, just a few people panicking, shaking, just generally scared for their lives." He said the passengers had their masks on for about 10 minutes.
A Qantas spokeswoman said the plane had a depressurisation problem in the cabin which was the result of an airconditioner fault. "There was no safety issue at any time, emergency services were not required to attend the aircraft, it was a normal routine landing," she said. "They (the crew) asked for a rapid descent as a result of a depressurisation. There was no medical assistance required."
SOURCE
Qantas 747 forced to return to Bangkok after engine problem
HOURS after a Qantas jet plunged almost 8000m during an emergency descent yesterday a Sydney-bound flight was forced to return to Bangkok because of engine problems.
Flight QF2 carrying 352 passengers was about 30 minutes into its flight from Bangkok International Airport when one of its engines began "consuming fuel more quickly than normal" a Qantas spokesman said. It was forced to return to Bangkok where it landed safely about 7pm local time (11pm AEST).
Affected passengers are expected to spend a second night in temporary accommodation with Qantas scrambling to send a replacement engine from Sydney for the troubled Boeing 747 today. "As far as possible we will try and get passengers who need to return to Sydney urgently on other flights but that will be dependent on availability on other airlines," the spokesman said.
"It was not actually an engine failure, (the pilots) did not shut the engine down they just reduced the thrust."
However one passenger on the flight says the engine "blew".
The spokesman said there were no other replacement Qantas aircraft available in Bangkok.
The latest safety drama for the besieged airline follows the emergency descent of a Boeing 737-400 yesterday after its cabin lost pressure on a flight from Adelaide to Melbourne.
Almost 100 passengers on board the flight were forced to wear oxygen masks as the plane plummeted 7900m to a height of 3000m.
Qantas said an air-conditioning fault caused the depressurisation.
Last week a trans-Pacific flight carrying 375 passengers diverted to Fiji after suffering an engine problem while in November Qantas suffered its most serious safety scare when an engine exploded mid-air en route to Sydney on board one of its flagship A380s.
Last night's incident was not the first time flight QF2 has been forced to land because of mechanical problems. In January 2008 the airline and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau launched an investigation after QF2 from London lost power from all four of its generators on its descent into Bangkok.
The 747 with 344 passengers on board lost electrical power about 15 minutes away from landing. At the time the ATSB said if the power failure occurred further away from an airport there could have been a serious accident.
SOURCE
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