BD1959
Established Member
- Joined
- May 11, 2011
- Posts
- 2,360
- Qantas
- Platinum
Excuse me, I need to purge myself ....
Anyone in the "golden triangle" last night would have been aware of the impact the weather was having on services, with the (IME) rarely used SYD RWY23 solely servicing SYD and MEL also reported (later on this) to be down to one RWY Ops. Flights transiting either of these were up for severe disruption and as a passenger, you're aware of this.
What the compounds any minor irritation into downright frustration arises when misinformation - or no information - is provided to passengers.
If a flight, 15mins prior to boarding, still does not have a gate allocated, it tends to mean that the flight will NOT be boarding at the time displayed; moreso when you've pushed the boarding time back just 10mins. The Gate is announced, but even though the inbound is still disgorging passengers, the signs state the flight will board: 5 mins ago. Finally everyone is off, as a passenger you know it will take 15-20mins to clean and service the aircraft. The Boarding Time has just been updated - to the current time. Seriously, QF, if we know this won't happen, you know this won't happen, why bother?
Is it policy? Is there some KPI trigger? Obviously we weren't alone. Glance over to Gate 10 and the queue of people there are standing in front of a boarding time, 15mins passed.
Anyway, I accurately plan the actual boarding time, and we board roughly when I (and not the signs) suggest. I estimate push-back and allow 1:40 down to Melbourne (single RWY - bound to be delays) and SMS the taxi driver on my estimated arrival - he has my flight number and is used to QF delays in the evening, it's quite "amusing" for him to watch the arrival time slowly creep backwards from 10 mins out, but he's already committed and arrived at the airport at the time QF stated as the flight became airborne.
Now the consistently frustrating bit. Pilot comes on at the taxi hold and apologises for the delay. "1:13 flight to Melbourne, we'll have you at the gate at roughly 7:45pm". Hmmm, I think, maybe I was wrong to estimate 8:15 ... maybe.
Flight down is OK and then you hear the dreaded decrease in power without starting descent. "Your Pilot again, Ladies and Gentlemen. Unfortunately Melbourne, too, has been having issues with the weather this afternoon and is also working a single runway. We've been asked to hold here for 30 mins and we'll have you at the terminal about 8:15". Frustrated groans all around the cabin. Inevitable bell-chimes for another drinks round.
Now this happens time and again. Surely NOTAMS advise prior to departure if Ops are curtailed "all afternoon". But time and time again, the passengers are only informed of this delay when the aircraft hits a holding pattern. Why? Is there some sort of QF SOP? What is the point in not disclosing earlier? Is there a theory there will be a chinese-style passenger mutiny and a worthless, tired 767 might be held to a ransome long passed it's depreciation value?
Over the past few weeks, Melbourne has been reduced to working only RWY 34/16 in the evenings and consistently the passengers are informed only once the aircraft enters a holding pattern although the airlines must know from late afternoon that this is certain.
As a passenger, is it too much to expect QF to be totally open when you're faced with inevitable delays? Haven't QF been in this game long enough to know that if an inbound is delayed 20mins to the gate, chances are that boarding will actually be approx 35mins late? Do ATC *really* only inform flights of track delays once airborne?
The final straw: coming in to land on 16, and watching the lights of departing aircraft off 27 ... didn't someone say "single runway working at Melbourne"??
Qantas, It's called "glasnost" and it started 25 years ago.
There.... I feel better now!
Regards,
BD
Anyone in the "golden triangle" last night would have been aware of the impact the weather was having on services, with the (IME) rarely used SYD RWY23 solely servicing SYD and MEL also reported (later on this) to be down to one RWY Ops. Flights transiting either of these were up for severe disruption and as a passenger, you're aware of this.
What the compounds any minor irritation into downright frustration arises when misinformation - or no information - is provided to passengers.
If a flight, 15mins prior to boarding, still does not have a gate allocated, it tends to mean that the flight will NOT be boarding at the time displayed; moreso when you've pushed the boarding time back just 10mins. The Gate is announced, but even though the inbound is still disgorging passengers, the signs state the flight will board: 5 mins ago. Finally everyone is off, as a passenger you know it will take 15-20mins to clean and service the aircraft. The Boarding Time has just been updated - to the current time. Seriously, QF, if we know this won't happen, you know this won't happen, why bother?
Is it policy? Is there some KPI trigger? Obviously we weren't alone. Glance over to Gate 10 and the queue of people there are standing in front of a boarding time, 15mins passed.
Anyway, I accurately plan the actual boarding time, and we board roughly when I (and not the signs) suggest. I estimate push-back and allow 1:40 down to Melbourne (single RWY - bound to be delays) and SMS the taxi driver on my estimated arrival - he has my flight number and is used to QF delays in the evening, it's quite "amusing" for him to watch the arrival time slowly creep backwards from 10 mins out, but he's already committed and arrived at the airport at the time QF stated as the flight became airborne.
Now the consistently frustrating bit. Pilot comes on at the taxi hold and apologises for the delay. "1:13 flight to Melbourne, we'll have you at the gate at roughly 7:45pm". Hmmm, I think, maybe I was wrong to estimate 8:15 ... maybe.
Flight down is OK and then you hear the dreaded decrease in power without starting descent. "Your Pilot again, Ladies and Gentlemen. Unfortunately Melbourne, too, has been having issues with the weather this afternoon and is also working a single runway. We've been asked to hold here for 30 mins and we'll have you at the terminal about 8:15". Frustrated groans all around the cabin. Inevitable bell-chimes for another drinks round.
Now this happens time and again. Surely NOTAMS advise prior to departure if Ops are curtailed "all afternoon". But time and time again, the passengers are only informed of this delay when the aircraft hits a holding pattern. Why? Is there some sort of QF SOP? What is the point in not disclosing earlier? Is there a theory there will be a chinese-style passenger mutiny and a worthless, tired 767 might be held to a ransome long passed it's depreciation value?
Over the past few weeks, Melbourne has been reduced to working only RWY 34/16 in the evenings and consistently the passengers are informed only once the aircraft enters a holding pattern although the airlines must know from late afternoon that this is certain.
As a passenger, is it too much to expect QF to be totally open when you're faced with inevitable delays? Haven't QF been in this game long enough to know that if an inbound is delayed 20mins to the gate, chances are that boarding will actually be approx 35mins late? Do ATC *really* only inform flights of track delays once airborne?
The final straw: coming in to land on 16, and watching the lights of departing aircraft off 27 ... didn't someone say "single runway working at Melbourne"??
Qantas, It's called "glasnost" and it started 25 years ago.
There.... I feel better now!
Regards,
BD
