"The co-pilot slept in"

[Edge]

VA811 this morning, MEL-SYD, 7:00 flight.

8:11am now. Still hasn't taken off. "The co-pilot slept in" is the excuse that's been told to the passengers.

An absolute joke.

 

[docjames]

Credit for honesty (EDIT: if true), but not sure that’s a great look for the business. A more opaque reasoning may have been better……plus clearly no standby crew or ability to redeploy other crew member to keep on track……

Eventually departed at 829….

 

[Quickstatus]

Credit for honesty,

How do we know if that is the true reason?

 

[docjames]

How do we know if that is the true reason?

We dont.

So i have updated to add (if true).



If not true, that’s an even worse look for the business and some disgruntled employees need the gripes addressed…..

 

[muppet]

I’ve slept in before. Happens to us all doesn’t it?
VA won’t have endless pilots on standby, couple are sick, one sleeps in = delays. More pilots on standby = higher fares. You win some you lose some.

 

[Quickstatus]

If a pilot slept in, it suggests to me that the pilot may be in sleep deficit. Not a good look...

 

[flyingfan]

IMHO It's likely a joke in the vein of the old Virgin flair (which might be backfiring) and if a pilot did actually sleep in it probably wouldn't be admitted as such.

 

[Hvr]

I guess it's better than admitting you lost the keys. 🗝

 

[Saab34]

Management won’t like that just like they apparently didn’t like that Fiji life jacket PA which was reported the other week by one outlet.

 

[Quickstatus]

Was the captain in the aircraft waiting for the copilot to arrive?

 

[Edge]

I’ve slept in before. Happens to us all doesn’t it?
VA won’t have endless pilots on standby, couple are sick, one sleeps in = delays. More pilots on standby = higher fares. You win some you lose some.

Are you holding up 200 people and causing them to be 90 minutes late when you slept in?

 

[antycbr]

The alternative is the usual “operational reasons”

 

[ozstamps]

Management won’t like that just like they apparently didn’t like that Fiji life jacket PA which was reported the other week by one outlet.

'Within Virgin Australia, the incident is believed to have caused considerable consternation among senior management, with key personnel unhappy they were not briefed for some time after.'

Passengers starting to remove life jackets from packets for no real reason midair, is a serious cough up by the panicked cabin staffer making that Fiji announcement.

Why ANY announcement was EVER made admitting a flight crew member had 'slept in' (even if he did) is just another Amateur Hour Virgin move.

"We have a minor technical issue we are working fast to rectify - our apologies for the slight delay' to passengers - is the professional way to interact with your paying passengers you are delaying for 90 minutes, in such cases.

 

[PERLHR]

Management won’t like that just like they apparently didn’t like that Fiji life jacket PA which was reported the other week by one outlet.

Surprised that more was not made about this "event". Especially if a couple of pax were perhaps somewhat distraught.

 

[Pushka]

I reckon it was meant to be a joke. Virgin does this. We had to quickly accelerate just before landing as a sudden squall hit the tarmac. Up and circling. Pilot came on and said 'sorry, we were just about to land at the wrong airport'.

 

[Quickstatus]

I reckon it was meant to be a joke. Virgin does this.

Actually this makes more sense.....

There is no mention of a copilot seen arriving late all flustered and then entering the coughpit after departure time..

Also if one pilot is missing/late, would aircraft boarding be allowed to commence?

 

[Harrison_133]

Also if one pilot is missing/late, would aircraft boarding be allowed to commence?

At Virgin, no.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Does anyone working for airlines still use the expression co-pilot? It’s an odd choice, rather than first officer.

 

[jb747]

Does anyone working for airlines still use the expression co-pilot? It’s an odd choice, rather than first officer.

They generally don’t like being called lackeys.

Airlines don’t keep pilots on airport standby. If they do have a standby at all (QF long haul does, but not short haul), they’ll be at home, with something in the order of a 3 hours airborne requirement. The reason is simple. If they come to work, their duty clock for CASA starts.