QF9 24-hr Delay: Response from Customer Care

[Brettmcg]

It is my understanding that QF only have A380 "standby" crew in Sydney.

Not true. At any given point in time there will be several cabin crew on reserve (often for a period of a month or two at a time) from both they SYD and MEL QCCA bases. Part of the pattern/rostering. In fact, sometimes MEL based crew on reserve will pax up to SYD to operate where SYD reserves can't cover.

 

[zainman]

I thought it was actually a pretty good response tbh. Nothing wrong with it whatsoever IMHO.

 

[lovestotravel]

Oh and you got the direct phone number to discuss the issue further if you wanted

That is more than I would expect!

 

[Robert K]

Just can't please some people.

 

[lovestotravel]

As for missing the wedding, if you valued the wedding that much you would have allowed a buffer day/two to make sure you were there in-time for it.

I have a wedding in NZ in July and will be arriving on a Thursday for a Saturday wedding, just-in-case!

If I was going on a medium/long-haul flight I'd be allowing 2 nights as a buffer in case of a flight cancellation/delay etc

 

[mannej]

mannej, smithy is implying that OQD was still at MEL today.

Read what I have said, OQD hasn't had her wings clipped as such, as she has been to LHR, DXB, MEL, HKG and LAX since her delay...

 

[JohnPhelan]

That's not really the reason for my frustration. I'm more frustrated that it's clear they didn't read the email I sent them, as the reply implies I was dissatisfied with their ground service staff.

Their reply said they "valued your comments" about their ground staff. I took that to mean they appreciated your complimentary remarks.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Not true. At any given point in time there will be several cabin crew on reserve (often for a period of a month or two at a time) from both they SYD and MEL QCCA bases. Part of the pattern/rostering. In fact, sometimes MEL based crew on reserve will pax up to SYD to operate where SYD reserves can't cover.

Don't doubt that's true for cabin crew, but JB747 has explained previously there is no reserve A380 tech crew in MEL. If a tech crew member goes off sick, for example, QF ring around the A380 pilots who happen to live in MEL, but there aren't many of them.

 

[marki]

I don't want to [snip]
According to what the FO told me the issues were more than just a faulty fuel pump. A number of issues including air con, HHD systems and PAC backflow caused the delay.
[Snip]
I what was actually going on.

HHD and PAC can you please explain

 

[Brettmcg]

HHD and PAC can you please explain

HHD is the Hydraulic Holding Discharge (Controls flow of hydraulic fluid to and from landing gear, flight controls etc.) and the PAC is Pressurisation and Conditioning for the 'air tank'.

John, in this particular case (and most of the time) there are enough tech crew available on short notice in MEL to replace a fostered crew going out of hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

Don't doubt that's true for cabin crew, but JB747 has explained previously there is no reserve A380 tech crew in MEL. If a tech crew member goes off sick, for example, QF ring around the A380 pilots who happen to live in MEL, but there aren't many of them.

If memory serves me correctly jb747 said that there were about six A388 QF pilots (including first officers?) who reside in the Melbourne area. That's probably just enough to rustle up someone on most occasions.

One assumes that the additional cost of an A380 base in MEL far outweighs any extra costs from these A380s failing in service, but it must nonetheless cost QF (or other operators) thousands of dollars an hour when this occurs and flight crew are not immediately available. That said, the OP's delay seemed to be more a case of the aircraft failing temporarily than the crew being unavailable.

 

[marki]

Thanks

 

[NM]

Not true. At any given point in time there will be several cabin crew on reserve (often for a period of a month or two at a time) from both they SYD and MEL QCCA bases. Part of the pattern/rostering. In fact, sometimes MEL based crew on reserve will pax up to SYD to operate where SYD reserves can't cover.

But I believe that is not the case with A380 Tech Crew. It is my understanding that while some A380 tech creq may live in the Melbourne area, the "standby" crew are located in Sydney rather then Melbourne. It may well be different situation for cabin crew.