Voluntary de-boarding

[Kendall Roy]

Mmmmmm.... I DO wonder what I will do if NBW is the aircraft we are all flying to LHR for the Olympics. There are 14 of us... I certainly won't be getting on the plane!!

Boss, in terms of verifying the rego of the ship, is this something you would do in say the F lounge prior or while boarding?

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Mmmmmm.... I DO wonder what I will do if NBW is the aircraft we are all flying to LHR for the Olympics. There are 14 of us... I certainly won't be getting on the plane!!

Boss

If there is no F availability +/- 48hrs on any suitable carrier (which could be a real possibility approaching the Olympics), would you really choose to reduce your time in the UK (or risk missing certain events if you are flying close to the start of the Olympics)? Personally, I used to get a bit worried about flying (particularly after a couple of experiences in my childhood years - one on a private jet that almost crashed due to severe weather conditions, and the other when I was in a small Beechcraft plane that was sitting on an active runway (and was about to turn to line-up for take-off) when a B747 came in for landing unexpectedly (not sure who was at fault - I was only 8/9), and we had to get off the runway immediately or risk a collision)... Looking at what they have done with NBW doesn't worry me in the slightest - considering the amount of attention given to her in SIN and everything on the aircraft being checked so many times, I actually hope to fly NBW, and would do so in preference of any other A380. Yes, it has been re-engineered, though considering it is Airbus' current flagship aircraft, I don't think for a minute that they would conduct or allow any repair or re-engineering that increased the crash risk of the aircraft - the risk of such bad publicity and no doubt a drop in orders would far outweigh the cost of simply replacing NBW if that were the case. These days, I actually look forward to flying - to the point that I used to arrive a minimum of three hours before all domestic flights to just enjoy time in the lounges and unwind before the flight, which helped me to enjoy it even more... I'm somewhat over doing that now (the lounges don't change a great deal, so now I arrive 1-2 hours before domestic flights), though an exception of course applies to international departures ex SYD and MEL now that I'm WP.

 

[bossreggie]

I would offload myself if it was NBW.

Definitely not something I would want to do.

I do have a contingency in place, however we are arriving in plenty of time to settle into our hotel in London. As there is a big group of us... I'm sure hoping we will be able to travel together. We have the entire F cabin so it will be quite a good trip.

Boss

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Sounds like you'll all have a great time!

Having the entire F cabin booked as well as being CL, surely you could at least submit a request for the A/C to be anything other than NBW (subject to any last-minute substitutions/irrops)? You may simply get a flat rejection, though it certainly couldn't hurt to ask?

 

[bossreggie]

there would be ZERO chance that I would have any influence over which aircraft Qantas uses.

I am hoping that it won't be NBW... It will be a great flight over. We also have 13 people in J on the same flight so it will be party time!!

Boss

 

[lovestotravel]

Having the entire F cabin booked as well as being CL, surely you could at least submit a request for the A/C to be anything other than NBW (subject to any last-minute substitutions/irrops)? You may simply get a flat rejection, though it certainly couldn't hurt to ask?

That is one of the funniest things I have read on here EVER

 

[bossreggie]

That is one of the funniest things I have read on here EVER

As per my post above.... I am under NO illusions about my ability to influence the aircraft being used....

Boss

 

[straitman]

Japan airlines thought the same when Boeing repaired a 747 of theirs many years ago...

Fact is that a repair is and never will be as structurally sound as a factory build. Crash your car and let's see if you feel comfortable with its safety after the repair...




Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

I'm another who disagrees with you. I have seen and flown many aircraft over the years that were considerably better after a major repair/overhaul than they were before.

 

[Hvr]

there would be ZERO chance that I would have any influence over which aircraft Qantas uses.

I am hoping that it won't be NBW... It will be a great flight over. We also have 13 people in J on the same flight so it will be party time!!

Boss

Hopefully it wont be subbed to a 747.

 

[bossreggie]

Hopefully it wont be subbed to a 747.

TBH.... That wouldn't bother me so much.... I quite often used to take QF29 and I don't mind.

I think my guests are all hoping for the A380... For some it is going to be their first time on one AND their first time in F or J.

Boss

 

[ChrisFlyer]

That is one of the funniest things I have read on here EVER

It was written on the assumption that bossreggie knows (or is known to) some of the higher-ups in QF (being CL), and that at risk of losing an entire F cabin of bookings (and 13 J bookings) on a single flight, in a worst-case scenario of everyone travelling with BR moving to another flight (or cancelling the tickets and arranging alternative travel), it would obviously be in QF's financial interests to avoid using NBW on this flight if at all practical... However, if it's only BR that would move to another flight or perhaps cancel his ticket, then yes, no chance.

 

[serfty]

...

When it comes to J on DJ 190s & QF 734s there really is little difference in what they are doing.

From that post I doubt you have ever sat in Business on a QF domestic 734.

I have sat in both and there is a large difference!

IMHO and experience, the QF 734's have far more comfortable seating than the e190 and the 737 premium seating - certainly not the same as that in general for the 73H's either carrier.

Anyway, this thread topic is voluntary de boarding and not a seat/ife/service comparison.

 

[rechoboam]

I've never done this, and there would have to be a very compelling reason for me to even consider doing so, I suppose safety concerns being the chief one.

I have to admit after reading 'horror' stories of seat-poachers who are backed up by the crew (rare I know, but still happens, so I've read), I've considered the possibility of demanding de-boarding at the last possible minute (with checked baggage on board of course ) as a 'bargaining tool' to encourage the crew to restore the seating allocations to what they should be. But I'm sure that'll never happen.

I cannot think of any other specific reason but who knows what scenario may face me in future.

I have written elsewhere about my hopeless TA-booked trip on SQ 380 in Y in a few weeks, where everything has gone wrong so far. We have 4 children going, TA forgot to select seats in January so the 7 of us are seated in 7 seats none of which are together.

I spoke to SQ to tell them if we board and can't be rearranged appropriately we will all voluntarily deboard as the youngest children will not be able to follow safety instructions if alone. And I would, as that would pose a safety risk to us and other passengers.

Allegedly 50% of seats are held back for T-48 but I doubt it will be sorted out before we get to the airport if at all.

 

[lovestotravel]

It was written on the assumption that bossreggie knows (or is known to) some of the higher-ups in QF (being CL), and that at risk of losing an entire F cabin of bookings (and 13 J bookings) on a single flight, in a worst-case scenario of everyone travelling with BR moving to another flight (or cancelling the tickets and arranging alternative travel), it would obviously be in QF's financial interests to avoid using NBW on this flight if at all practical... However, if it's only BR that would move to another flight or perhaps cancel his ticket, then yes, no chance.

But it's still the funniest thing I have read on here in nearly 4 years

 

[Noob]

From that post I doubt you have ever sat in Business on a QF domestic 734.

I have sat in both and there is a large difference!

IMHO and experience, the QF 734's have far more comfortable seating than the e190 and the 737 premium seating - certainly not the same as that in general for the 73H's either carrier.

Anyway, this thread topic is voluntary de boarding and not a seat/ife/service comparison.

True, I have only been twice on a 734 in J, I'm not what you would call an expert on the type TBH I actually picked it on purpose because I hadn't flown one before and wanted to before they disappear #avgeek

The point was the airlines are both doing the same thing by selling what is essentially convertible economy seating - which would be a fair reason to ask to shift to another flight when you are paying the same fare.

 

[Austman]

Most of the above is to do with perceived safety or wrong fare class offering . But I think voluntary de-boarding also happens due to seating arrangements.

When you discover you are seated next to a (perceived perhaps) oversize/drunk/smelly etc passenger or even noisy children, babies. And the crew could not move you.

Not the airline's fault (perhaps) but I know I've considered just walking off a couple of times rather than risk 10 hours of hell. But I have yet to do it and sometimes it did turn out to be 10 hours of hell!

 

[JohnPhelan]

I haven't, but I do know of some Qantas business class passengers that were scheduled on an A330, and refused to board when a 767 rolled up to the gate!

Weird - I would do the exact opposite! Safety first.

 

[oz_mark]

Weird - I would do the exact opposite! Safety first.

It was international, and they instantly recognised the lack of Skybed!

 

[DC3]

It was written on the assumption that bossreggie knows (or is known to) some of the higher-ups in QF (being CL), and that at risk of losing an entire F cabin of bookings (and 13 J bookings) on a single flight, in a worst-case scenario of everyone travelling with BR moving to another flight (or cancelling the tickets and arranging alternative travel), it would obviously be in QF's financial interests to avoid using NBW on this flight if at all practical... However, if it's only BR that would move to another flight or perhaps cancel his ticket, then yes, no chance.

Interesting scenario. A mass walkout like that would be a bonanza for 27 other unsuspecting pax on that flight who would suddenly receive upgrades to F and J as the outcome.

And maybe the original 27 drowning their sorrows landside trying to work out their next move.

 

[strance]

Interesting scenario. A mass walkout like that would be a bonanza for 27 other unsuspecting pax on that flight who would suddenly receive upgrades to F and J as the outcome.

why would they bump 27 people up a class if there was still seats in their original cabin? they'd have enough to deal with offloading 27 pax!

..

and with all due respect BR, i think you're being precious .. with the amount of flying you do i can't imagine how you could care about superstition because in my opinion that's all it is .... didn't they spend over 100 million fixing the aircraft? can you imagine the implications if they put a 388 into service that there was a chance of an incident .... anyway my two bobs worth, i'm hoping i get NBW in a few weeks out of LAX ....