Lawrence Hargrave stuck at MEL

[markis10]

Looks like ather A380 story - SMH/the age picked this one up quick, nonews should have it in 48 hours:

Passengers stuck on Qantas A380 after aborted take-off
"Qantas passengers stuck on board an A380 for more than four hours at Melbourne Airport have been told the flight will not take off due to the crew on-duty time limits, passengers report.

The Airbus superjumbo carrying 450 passengers reportedly aborted take-off earlier today due to a problem with its fuel gauges."

 

[harvyk]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

Yes it would be a very annoying situation. That said I'd rather not take off, than take off in a plane which is having an issue which puts the planes safety at risk.

I would like to know why they can't let them back into the departures side of the terminal (yes unusual, but certainly possible). It's not like they would have had access to anything on the plane which they shouldn't be able to access inside the terminal. (With exception to the in-flight mag... )

 

[Hvr]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

Just mentioned on 3aw, a pax was talking from the plane and not happy.

Said they taxied out and then returned after a problem was discovered.

Still rather be safe and delayed than dead on time.

 

[anat0l]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

I wonder if QF thought of doing something constructive with pax whilst the plane was not moving. Examples include offering refreshments (snacks and drinks), turning on the IFE, gauging and cataloguing any possible transfer concerns that should be sent on to the ground staff at the next destination(s), or just not letting pax sit there stuck in their seats for four hours.

Sure, when the plane's ready to go, pax have got to be seated quick smart, but surely it's impossible to say "just a few more minutes - do not leave your seats" for four hours!

I'd rather be safer than sorry, but what's going on with these new planes? I'd be getting onto Airbus's case double time. And then the delay just happens to push out the crew working limits, too. I guess it's only fair that pax can't expect crew to be pushed to work over their designated limits (this has safety implications), but it's a line call on cases like this and I'm hoping QF were madly scrambling to assemble a new crew as soon as they possibly could (and I have no idea how they would have managed to do this).

 

[david870mdg]

Looks like another issue for QF 93 and the A3-Latey...

Passengers stuck for hours on Qantas A380 at Melbourne Airport

Anyone directly affected by this delay?


"Qantas said refreshments were served to passengers during the delay and that in-flight entertainment was available. The Qantas spokesman said overnight hotel accommodation would be provided to passengers who required it."

 

[KitKat]

QF A380 in the news again

A380 in the news again. Sigh.....

Passengers stuck for hours on Qantas A380 at Melbourne Airport

 

[KitKat]

Re: QF A380 in the news again

seems to be discussed on another thread - What is wrong with QF

 

[tuapekastar]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

I wonder if QF thought of doing something constructive with pax whilst the plane was not moving. Examples include offering refreshments (snacks and drinks), turning on the IFE, gauging and cataloguing any possible transfer concerns that should be sent on to the ground staff at the next destination(s), or just not letting pax sit there stuck in their seats for four hours.

Appears "they" wanted to avoid disembarking and rescreening 450 pax if at all possible as it was 'not feasible'.

IFE was available and extra catering was loaded and served, at least according to this report from The Age.

I certainly opt for safety over timeliness, but 4 hours is pushing it for keeping people cooped up on the plane.

 

[mannej]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

According to the article, QF did have refreshments on offer, as well as the entertainment turned on...

 

[anat0l]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

Appears "they" wanted to avoid disembarking and rescreening 450 pax if at all possible as it was 'not feasible'.

IFE was available and extra catering was loaded and served, at least according to this report from The Age.

I certainly opt for safety over timeliness, but 4 hours is pushing it for keeping people cooped up on the plane.

Certainly disembarkation and rescreening would have been a bit of an ask, on all of the airline, airport and passengers.

If you're going to keep them on the plane at least keep them comfortable, hence refreshments and IFE. Not much better in the terminal, mind you (except for those eligible to use the lounges, or those on a shopping spree).

I had a long delay once on a MH flight KUL-BNE. We sat on the plane at the gate for just over 2 hours. I can't remember if we were offered anything or not, but if we were given something I think it was just a cup of orange juice or water. IFE certainly wasn't turned on (I can't remember if this delay was before or after MH introduced AVOD on its aircraft). It wasn't a technical problem we were stuck at the gate for, but rather we were merely waiting for connecting pax on other MH flights!

 

[mannej]

Re: QF A380 in the news again

seems to be discussed on another thread - What is wrong with QF

Planes going tech are not solely limited to QF.

QF seem to be happier to delay flights (IME) than take off with problems compared to other airlines.

 

[Mal]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

Appears "they" wanted to avoid disembarking and rescreening 450 pax if at all possible as it was 'not feasible'.

I bet being a U.S bound flight would have made the rescreening even more difficult. Perhaps they would have disembarked pax if the flight was to LHR???

 

[straitman]

Re: QF A380 in the news again

Planes going tech are not solely limited to QF.

QF seem to be happier to delay flights (IME) than take off with problems compared to other airlines.

I have no problems with that at all.

Safety first IMHO :!:

 

[Mal]

Re: QF A380 in the news again

seems to be discussed on another thread - What is wrong with QF

Not too surprising to see yet another delay with the A380 - especially one caused by fuel indicators (there has been a history of these types of incidents).

At least Qantas (apparently) fed, watered and entertained pax until the point they had to cancel the flight and disembark. That's better than some other airlines who have kept passengers overnight on a plane...

 

[Mal]

I think this has been discussed before, but I can't remember the outcome.

In this situation, are you allowed to keep duty free purchased, take it home, leave it, then return the next day and purchase more? Or as you haven't left the country, do you have to return it / register it / get it sealed etc?

 

[straitman]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

I have had several of these over the years. 1.5 hours in LAX (QF)whilst waiting for QF 10late pax to arrive. Three hrs at DFW (AA) whilst they changed a pressurisation valve and four hrs in AKL (LAN) whilst they replaced a starter generator.

Nothing offered on any of these but we survived OK.

 

[straitman]

In this situation, are you allowed to keep duty free purchased, take it home, leave it, then return the next day and purchase more? Or as you haven't left the country, do you have to return it / register it / get it sealed etc?

Are you asking the question from a logical perspective or a bureaucratic perspective :?:

 

[mannej]

Are you asking the question from a logical perspective or a bureaucratic perspective :?:

I know when I was delayed 8+ hrs at PER last year, officialdom were not going to let PAX back through Passport control with already purchased Duty Free, but changed their mind when reminded of the delay these pax had been through.

 

[markis10]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

I wonder if there is a room free at the Airport Hilton or HI, sounds like QF are doing all they can, obviously someone had contacts with the press that was onboard for the story to leak so quickly!

 

[anat0l]

Re: What's wrong with Qantas?

I wonder if there is a room free at the Airport Hilton or HI, sounds like QF are doing all they can, obviously someone had contacts with the press that was onboard for the story to leak so quickly!

I assume customers could have turned on their mobiles. Either that or they would have done this on their own accord, with or without the consent of the crew.