Another Qantas beat-up

[anat0l]

And of course the assumption is that flying DJ is a lot more instrument-friendly than QF would ever be.

Bad assumption, although it has been seen that DJ seem to have a bit more heart, so they might be nicer about it. But no guarantees.

I'm surprised that there hasn't ever been a better way to transport instruments other than loosely in those cases. Even the hard shell cases can't put up with much (well, the case may not crack, but the instrument bobbing inside might well do). How do touring orchestras that fly carry all their instruments?

 

[tripvan]

Thank you for the warm welcome,
I have been under the assumption that there is a Qantas clause somewhere that states that violas and violins are exempt from the carry on baggage dimensions rule. I will get my colleague to post it to me.
That would make it, not illegal, to put precious musical instruments into the overhead locker, but I see what you mean.
Sure our instruments are insured - it's just that these are often instruments that are priceless, hundreds of years old and impossible to replace.

That's the thing, I was travelling with an orchestra and the usual deal is we are allowed to carry it on as luggage. We fly with Qantas because of that clause and because we have never had any significant troubles with them in the past.

 

[oz_mark]

There is a reference to musical instruments in the cary on luggage section

Items such as diplomatic or courier bags, musical instruments, artworks or technical equipment that exceed the above limits may be accepted at the discretion of the airline but arrangements must be made at least two days before you travel. You may need to purchase an extra seat.r

Two things to bear in mind:

1) At the discretion of the airline
2) Arrangements to be made two days in advance (i.e. just don't turn up and expect it to be allowed)

 

[serfty]

The policy is online as follows:

Travelling with a Musical Instrument

Question

Can I travel with a musical instrument onboard the aircraft?​

Answer

Yes. See the Bulky Baggage section for details on what you need to do to take your instrument onboard.​

You can also contact your local Qantas office for more information.

Note: You may also need to purchase an extra seat.

... and ...

Bulky Items

Items such as diplomatic or courier bags, musical instruments, artworks or technical equipment that exceed the above limits may be accepted at the discretion of the airline but arrangements must be made at least two days before you travel. You may need to purchase an extra seat.

 

[markis10]

The policy makes a lot of sense, give the airline a heads up and they will make provision for you that MAY cost money, pretty reasonable I would have thought. I often wondered about some technical equipment in those steel cases I have seen people taking onboard, obviously falls under the same provisions going by what was posted.

 

[under the radar]

Tripvan, firstly welcome to AFF.


If your instruments exceed the dimensions of carry on then I am not sure what the issue is, just because you have been allowed to break the rules before does not make it right, please correct me if I am wrong but an airline cracking down and starting to police rules does not put them in the wrong?

There plenty of room for many illegal things in the overhead lockers, does not mean its OK to put such things in them? Maybe its time for you to check you important baggage in and take steps to make sure its protected from damage like the rest of us do with our instruments, music or scientific.

Sorry if I sound harsh, it seems that rules have been broken up until now to allow you to do things you should not, and frankly now that they are being enforced I see no reason to complain.

totally aggree!! sporting professionals and the 'general' public are required to put certain equipment in the cargo hold due to size/shape/weight restrictions..as per qantas website...musicians are no exception..once again its a case of staff 'being nice/turning a blind eye' in the past..comes back to 'bite them in the a****.... the comment 'its been allowed in the past'..doesnt make it policy!!
maybe, just maybe, the qantas website needs to look into including a 'musical instrument' catagory on their 'baggage' page just to make things more clear!!???

 

[medhead]

Yes, a bashing article in the first degree, and the exact reason why I have a problem with the number of nonews articles being published. As it's the quantity not the contents of the nonews articles which is showing bias which is doing the damage given most readers don't know the difference between something minor and something major, they just see the word qantas in the headlines and that clicks a little counter over in their head.

your hypothesis that the quantity of stories shows the bias regardless of content is pretty easily disproved. For a start there is the excessive number of news stories about BHP Billiton or Rio Tinto every week. But as you've ignored that data point what about this story:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/travel-news/qantas-frequent-flyer-out-stone-22600.html

Is the mere publication of that story part of the global news limited conspriacy to destroy qnatas bay writing lots of stories with qantas in the headline? Or is it reporting something that is of interest to the reader?

I also want to have a rant about file pictures (so this isn't related to harvyk's post) but can't be bovvered to find that thread. Anyway, I read a story today in the SMH about the uranium producer ERA, owned by Rio Tinto. they used a picture of an iron ore stockpile and bucket reclaim machine!!! BY [multiple expletives] all those people reading that story are going to think that iron ore and uranium are the same thing!

 

[harvyk]

your hypothesis that the quantity of stories shows the bias regardless of content is pretty easily disproved. For a start there is the excessive number of news stories about BHP Billiton or Rio Tinto every week. But as you've ignored that data point what about this story:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/travel-news/qantas-frequent-flyer-out-stone-22600.html

Is the mere publication of that story part of the global news limited conspriacy to destroy qnatas bay writing lots of stories with qantas in the headline? Or is it reporting something that is of interest to the reader?

I don't think it is a conspriacy, and your right, an event involving outter mongolian airways is probably not going to rate very highly for news limiteds Australian readership...

That said, the closest we've ever had to an actual air disaster (of significant scale in recent times) in this country was EK 407, and yes it got some press coverage for a day or two, but that was it. IMHO the level of press coverage for EK 407 is pretty much what should be the norm.

Again, with the CX780. I am willing to bet news limited either do not publish any more articles about CX, or at most one more if more information comes to light? Now CX is an airline that flys to and from Australian destinations and which carries Australians every single day of the year. You can't tell me that this is not of interest to Australians.

Now I refuse to believe that the minor issues which QF have reported in the media don't happen to other airlines with Australians onboard on a much more frequent basis than is reported in news limited. So tell me again, why do we need to hear about how a toilet stopped working on a QF transcon flight?

 

[pauly7]

Now I refuse to believe that the minor issues which QF have reported in the media don't happen to other airlines with Australians onboard on a much more frequent basis than is reported in news limited. So tell me again, why do we need to hear about how a toilet stopped working on a QF transcon flight?

Tall poppy syndrome.

Period.

 

[oz_mark]

Is the mere publication of that story part of the global news limited conspriacy to destroy qnatas bay writing lots of stories with qantas in the headline? Or is it reporting something that is of interest to the reader?

That is one side of the equation. The other side ( is that well written, well researched, balanced, quality journalism has the unfortunate characteristic of being expensive. Taken together, we end up with what we have got - a quality of story designed to maximise a revenue stream.

 

[medhead]

Now I refuse to believe that the minor issues which QF have reported in the media don't happen to other airlines with Australians onboard on a much more frequent basis than is reported in news limited. So tell me again, why do we need to hear about how a toilet stopped working on a QF transcon flight?

I mostly agree with what your saying but I just don't see bias. I think Oz_Mark has the answer to your question. Poor quality journalism. This makes it easier for them to throw in a nothing story about qantas, that requires very little research (we all "know" the qantas background story), than to write a proper story about another airline that is going take more research. They also know it is going to sell a paper "out west". Sure it is extremely frustrating, but .....well maybe my "but" isn't valid.

That is one side of the equation. The other side ( is that well written, well researched, balanced, quality journalism has the unfortunate characteristic of being expensive. Taken together, we end up with what we have got - a quality of story designed to maximise a revenue stream.

 

[oz_mark]

Again, with the CX780. I am willing to bet news limited either do not publish any more articles about CX, or at most one more if more information comes to light? Now CX is an airline that flys to and from Australian destinations and which carries Australians every single day of the year. You can't tell me that this is not of interest to Australians.

Most of the stories from overseas that are published here are either taken from one of the wire services, or in some cases affiliates overseas. So first you would need a relevant organisation in Hong Kong to generate the story and for the Australian media to pick it up.

 

[markis10]

Most of the stories from overseas that are published here are either taken from one of the wire services, or in some cases affiliates overseas. So first you would need a relevant organisation in Hong Kong to generate the story and for the Australian media to pick it up.

You mean something like this:

Cathay Stops Refueling Jets in Surabaya - WSJ.com

Cathay Stops Refueling Jets in Surabaya

Some good followup information and FACTS!