Another CHC quake

[Nigelinoz]

Christchurch Airport has reopened for domestic flights and it is expected the backlog will be cleared by the end of the day.
But it will take longer to clear international flights which are expected to resume from midday, Christchurch International Airport chief executive Jim Boult said this morning. (NZPA)

 

[nickykim]

If you are an immediate relative of someone involved in the Christchurch earthquake Air New Zealand is offering $50 one way airfares trans tasman in / out of Christchurch until Friday. See the Air New Zealand website.

Nicky Kim

 

[drron]

Reports that the Grand Chancellor hotel is expected to collapse.

 

[ric_melb]

I really don't think one should be criticising Qantas regarding bringing people back from New Zealand. I dont think we know the full facts regarding that passenger, and cheaper fares may have been available, but he chose not to wait.
The other gentleman who was criticising the Australian government and Qantas, certainly did not impress me.
These people are back home only 48 hours after the earthquake, and I think they should be grateful. Instead of complaining, they should think of the people of Christchurch, who have lost relatives, and who have an enormous task ahead of them rebuilding.

 

[KLN]

Disagree!
i think in cases like this it would be better for RedRoo to just fly them all home for nothing. it would be much better publicity for them. how much better is the ANZ publicity for flying people home for $50.00. or the govt. pay, as in the emergency evacuations for Cairo. hopefully some of them have travel insurance, just hope that in this situation travel insurance will apply.

 

[VHOEJ]

I really don't think one should be criticising Qantas regarding bringing people back from New Zealand. I dont think we know the full facts regarding that passenger, and cheaper fares may have been available, but he chose not to wait.
The other gentleman who was criticising the Australian government and Qantas, certainly did not impress me.
These people are back home only 48 hours after the earthquake, and I think they should be grateful. Instead of complaining, they should think of the people of Christchurch, who have lost relatives, and who have an enormous task ahead of them rebuilding.

Agree - there is always at least one bitter person who never puts things into perspective. People are dead, people are missing, thier livelihoods are destroyed and you complain about an airfare? Airlines can't just put one extra flights but clicking thier fingers.

Even if QF did the same as AirNZ, no one would know about it so the whole goodwill thing is not worth the cost.

 

[Fyfie]

Disagree!
i think in cases like this it would be better for RedRoo to just fly them all home for nothing. it would be much better publicity for them. how much better is the ANZ publicity for flying people home for $50.00. or the govt. pay, as in the emergency evacuations for Cairo. hopefully some of them have travel insurance, just hope that in this situation travel insurance will apply.

Just out of interest, and meaning no disrespect to the victims of this terrible tragedy, why should we expect Qantas to fly people home for free from such a nearby neighbour (that is closer to some parts of Australia than Perth), when they don't fly people out for free from impending disasters in Australia such as cyclones?

The other gentleman who was criticising the Australian government and Qantas, certainly did not impress me.
These people are back home only 48 hours after the earthquake, and I think they should be grateful.

Agreed - the hardest thing about disasters such as this is contacting affected people. Without the Australian Gov. knowing who was in CHC at the time (not sure how many had registered with Smart Traveller), it does make it hard for them to provide a response when it would take them time to get High Commission staff into CHC to provide info on the ground (as communication networks and power networks had been impacted).

I certainly hope and pray that more survivors will be found in the aftermath of this terrible tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with our New Zealand cousins.