So, after hopefully arranging the first AFF meet-up in Galle, Sri Lanka, its time to make the first, short flight.
Unfortunately, like most of my TRs, the first flight begun in Hobart airport and ended in Sydney and has left me crabby.
Check in was OK - no one at the Qantas business check-in, but didn't take too long and security, as usual here, was a breeze. Onto the local QP which has always been a bit sad and very crowded when there are a couple of QF/JQ flights about to depart, but my flight was at lunch time and the place was blessedly quiet. And at least there is a QP - still no Virgin lounge (no space) and nothing likely for years, if ever.
Boarding quite a different matter. Hobart airport last saw a material re-development before Virgin came along. As soon as that happened, it was too small and has been too small ever since. Tourism in Tasmania is booming, but the airport owners - party part of the Macquarie bank group simply refuse to spend capital to upgrade what is a simply inadequate facility. They did some largely cosmetic changes to the arrivals area last year, but that had the justification of getting more space for commercial outfits like car rentals.
A much-touted 'master plan' was launched just 2 years ago and now is already so out of date that they have stopped even the tarting-up of the departures area for maybe 2-4 years while they figure out what to do
. Just hopeless.
HBA doesn't have air bridges, so its power-in and power-out from the apron, which means the planes are spread wide, and there's a limit of 5 I think. If any delays in departures, an incoming plane can't get an apron spot, so on the apron approach they sit. Up to 45 mins has been reported. Sometimes there aren't enough stair units for the planes at the gates (they are actually made in northern Tasmania). So again, if not enough stairs - some-one waits.
For the passengers, we have the delight of these cattle yard fences across the whole width of the apron, to guide the cattle up to 125 metres, in the open, to board their plane, if its at one of the ends. If a plane movement occurs during boarding, boarding stops.
Mind you, on the tarmac at least you are in the open. RH pic shows the departures area (all airlines) today. Pretty typical.
Boarding was delayed by 15 mins while they tried to load a wheelchair pax onto the plane. We could see the chap sitting at the base of the stairs, at first. Eventually a lift operator came along, and then .. well, I'm not quite sure .. a lot of stuffing about, more people on scene, they moved the lift, more stuffing around ... what a load of freak'n amateurs.
No priority boarding; there are signs for it, and from the adjacent gate they have done it, but not apparently today. So, after they have loaded the wheelchair pax, and a scrum has formed around the gates, of we go. Oh. Scanner not turned on. "Does anyone know how to turn on the scanner?" After a delay some-one found the button to turn on the scanner.
I got a points upgrade to business. I always enjoy QF domestic business - although I only ever do to MEL or SYD, with small cabins.
Pre departure drink was still or sparkling water (hmmmm ...) but the lunch was nice. A bit lacking in presentation, but it would have already done a flight down from SYD before this one ... No sav blanc, only a chardy and a cab sav, which I had and which was OK. A nice flight.
Then SYD.
We arrived about on time, then no-one to operate the air bridge (can't win, can I?). Eventually off, then ... bags.
No priority bags, of course. Ha ha ha ha. In fact, it took 25 mins for the bags to arrive ... with not much else happening in the bag carousel area, as far as I could see. That's our pathetic knot of pax on the LH pic, views across to silent other carousels.
Sorry for the grumpy start - HBA is bad.
I have a B747 all the way to JFK tomorrow, so one last chance to ride on the old girl. 14K upper deck exit; sticking so far, cross fingers.
