How many more times must international pax, due to an emergency, be stranded on the ground in AUS?

[Austman]

All over the media.

Yet again:

Eg: Jetstar passengers grounded on Alice Springs tarmac for seven hours

Can't we do better in Australia?

Can't a system allow some better way to handle genuine emergencies that don't leave hundreds of pax stranded on board a plane, on a tarmac, for 7 hours?

 

[Lynda2475]

If they had diverted to an international airport Im sure passengers could have disembarked, but ASP is a tiny domestic airport with no immigration nor customs facilties.

Many years ago flying UA from SFO to SYD, the head winds were particularly strong and we were diverted to HNL to take on extra fuel. Even though HNL is an international airport we were also required to stay onboard due to lack of staff at 1am to process any passengers, and some only having had single entry visas. It was a pain that we sat there for 6+ hours turning a 14 hour flight into a 20 hour one, but it is what it is. They refuelled, loaded additional water and off we went eventually.

The situation isnt unique to QF or Aus.

 

[justinbrett]

Qantas diverted to NTL flying from SCL with a similar result.

NTL has international facilities - they're just not used often and airport staff couldn't be bothered. They sat on the ground way longer than it would have taken to drive to SYD.

 

[Pushka]

If they had diverted to an international airport Im sure passengers could have disembarked, but ASP is a tiny domestic airport with no immigration nor customs facilties.

Many years ago flying UA from SFO to SYD, the head winds were particularly strong and we were diverted to HNL to take on extra fuel. Even though HNL is an international airport we were also required to stay onboard due to lack of staff at 1am to process any passengers, and some only having had single entry visas. It was a pain that we sat there for 6+ hours turning a 14 hour flight into a 20 hour one, but it is what it is. They refuelled, loaded additional water and off we went eventually.

The situation isnt unique to QF or Aus.

All they needed was a police escort to take them to a secure non public area. No luggage. Just people. Heck, we managed much bigger holding areas at airports because of Covid requirements. They've had two years of practise.

 

[nancypants]

Regrettably I think NT police in Alice Springs have other priorities at present

 

[Lynda2475]

All they needed was a police escort to take them to a secure non public area

Im not convinced such a place exists at ASP.

NTL has international facilities - they're just not used often and airport staff couldn't be bothered. They sat on the ground way longer than it would have taken to drive to SYD.

And that is unacceptable, but ASP is not NTL.

 

[Quickstatus]

It's not rocket science.

Immigration would have everyone's details upon checkin for this flight. Anything from an Australian passport holder to ETA to full entry visa.

Airports of a sufficient size should have a policy in place for situations like this.

 

[Pushka]

Im not convinced such a place exists at ASP.



And that is unacceptable, but ASP is not NTL.

Then create it by being innovative. Just needed people to be able to get off the plane, and be gathered in a large holding area. If toilet needed then an escort. It isn't rocket science.

Post automatically merged: Feb 26, 2023

It's not rocket science.

Snap

 

[dajop]

Im not convinced such a place exists at ASP.

The article does make mention that,

Passengers were eventually taken to a partitioned section at the airport

 

[nancypants]

I’d be interested to know where they partitioned off. I’m not certain the entire terminal has seats for 300 people at the best of times, less so if there are other flights going. The general structure of the place also makes it difficult as it’s basically one big open area.

MH’s diversion (pre covid) was a bit different as it happened in the evening IIRC

 

[Quickstatus]

This can all be done via a smartphone.

Let's call it Australian Customs Back of Woop Woop App

Works much like eGate.

Passengers scan QR code. Get sent to above app

App takes passenger photo and passport
Passenger answers some questions

Then Yes or No

Yes can roam the airport
No cannot roam the airport and have to be on aircraft or in secure area.

It's 2023.

 

[dajop]

Could be worse than it was for hopefully all passengers. Imagine if your journey was BKK-MEL-ASP ….

 

[AIRwin]

Could be worse than it was for hopefully all passengers. Imagine if your journey was BKK-MEL-ASP ….

No connecting MEL-ASP flight from the original JQ30 anyway

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Saw this story crop up on my Youtube feed:

To summarize: there was a JQ flight from BKK to MEL, which diverted to ASP due to a medical emergency on board. However, the plane was unable to depart ASP due to an electrical issue resulting in passengers being stuck on the 787 for 7 hours whilst JQ sorted out what to do next. Then after 7 hours, they were let inside a specially gated part of the ASP terminal whilst JQ dispatched a 787 to recover them.

It will be interesting to see how they respond from this incident? Will they refund passenger's tickets? Likely given the media buzz I've seen. But I think it raises a question, what duty of care should airlines offer passengers in such circumstances? For me being stuck on a tarmac in what was likely mid-30s weather for several hours even with AC was likely uncomfortable (remember the outside air is normally -60 when a 787 is at cruising altitude meaning cooling is generally not an issue).

-RooFlyer88

 

[AIRwin]

JQ dispatched a 787 to recover them

Looks like it was VH-VKE which may have originally been scheduled to operate MEL-SIN?

 

[SYD]

Unpleasant no doubt but “Held hostage” is the sort of click bait headline we see elsewhere. The airline would have been at the mercy of ABF. Last time I checked (which was never), ASP isn’t an international port.

I guess they could have let someone die and just flown on?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Unpleasant no doubt but “Held hostage” is the sort of click bait headline we see elsewhere. The airline would have been at the mercy of ABF. Last time I checked (which was never), ASP isn’t an international port.

What would you call being stuck on the tarmac against your will for 7 hours? And I can understand if you are flying over a foreign country and you need to divert there can be issues, but this plane was destined for Australia, sure there wasn't ABF personnel in ASP but that doesn't mean you can't let them inside the terminal in a gated area as we do with international transit passengers.

I guess they could have let someone die and just flown on?

I don't think the medical emergency was the cause of the tarmac delay it was an electrical failure on the 787 which frankly could have happened at any point during the flight too. And to answer your question, of course not. You divert, no questions asked! But frankly it is surprising that JetStar had no contingencies for this occurring since having to divert in Australia on an international flight isn't something that's unheard of, especially when arrival clearance into DPS wasn't received beforehand!

 

[SYD]

Or in the case of NZ AKL-JFK, they just turned around mid flight and landed in AKL. “Held hostage” for 16 hrs….

 

[Dr Ralph]

'JetStar Passengers Held Hostage In 787 on ASP Tarmac'

What ransom was asked?

Post automatically merged: Feb 27, 2023

Unpleasant no doubt but “Held hostage” is the sort of click bait headline we see elsewhere. T

Agreed.

What would you call being stuck on the tarmac against your will for 7 hours?

Tresspass to the person/False imprisonment.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

Some more information overnight...it seems the person with the medical emergency begun to have seizures shortly after take off however it was decided by JQ to continue rather than return to BKK.

The other issue is why does a new Dreamliner go tech shortly after landing in ASP and then JQ/QF take 8hrs+ to sort a solution when many aircraft (both JQ and QF) could be dispatched to rescue the passengers?

The final slap in the face is JQ advising compensation will be handled on a case-by-case basis!