The Australian Frequent Flyer Gazette

** The Australian Frequent Flyer Gazette - June, 2000 **

A FREE newsletter for Qantas Frequent Flyers, Ansett Global Rewards and Fly Buys members sponsored by The Australian Frequent Flyer.

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Contents:

1. Editor's Note
2. Travel Tips
3. Investigation into Cabin Air Safety
4. Stories in the Media
5. Bonus Points Promotions

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1- Editor’s Note

Welcome to the June 2000 edition of the Australian Frequent Flyer Gazette. The big news stories this month include the introduction of Australia’s third major domestic carrier – Impulse Airlines. While Frequent Flyers may shy away from Impulse as they don’t have a loyalty scheme, it is great to see a low-cost carrier in the market making air travel affordable for more Australians.

We also take an in-depth look at media reports concerning contamination of ventilation systems in the BAe 146 – an aircraft used mostly for regional transport.

On the day Impulse Airlines launched into the airline market, the ACCC announced an investigation into possible breaches of the Trade Practices Act by both Qantas and Ansett, in respect to their loyalty programs.

We hope you enjoy this month’s edition of The Australian Frequent Flyer Gazette. Don’t forget to investigate the Hot Tips at www.frequentflyer.com.au, to learn how you can get more out of your points.

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2 - Travel Tips

Don’t underestimate the possibility of theft. Always have more than one form of money on you (credit card, debit card, cash, traveller’s cheques). Carry these separately, with your valuables in a money belt under your clothes. One reader actually sewed his traveller’s cheques into the pocket of his jeans, and still had them stolen at the airport!

To avoid your bags being squished in the bottom of the luggage carousel, mark them ‘Fragile’. They are also more likely to be the first ones put onto the carousel.

Aeroplane cabins can sometimes be unbearably noisy during flight. If you have sensitive eardrums, buy some earplugs from the newsagent before your flight.

Many frequent flyers have experienced the nuisance of misplaced baggage (through airline mix-ups or thieves). If you have room in your hand luggage, you might want to pack two days worth of clothes – this is especially handy if your luggage is lost during a public holiday.

To see what the weather is like in the country you are travelling to, look up the weather bureau of the respective country on the web. Try www.weather.com. It can make packing a lot easier!

You can take pets on the aeroplane in the cargo hold for a fee. Some pet owners are concerned about the trauma their pet might go through on the trip, and will be tempted to sedate them. Please see your vet before you do this as some breeds (such as Maltese/Shitsu) have nasal restrictions due to inbreeding. Be aware that there is about 20% less oxygen on an aeroplane than there is at sea level.

You can see more tips concerning Frequent Flyer points at www.frequentflyer.com.au.

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3 - Cabin Air Quality

The Sunday (4/6/00) program aired an weighty report investigating the claims that recirculated air in the cabins of mainly BAe 146 aeroplanes have a detrimental effect on the health of passengers and crew. This is just the beginning of media interest into the safety of persons riding these aircrafts, and the Gazette will be following the debate very closely.

Ross Coulthart reported that the BAe 146 jet (a smaller plane mainly used for regional flights) has been the subject of a Senate inquiry for the last six months, due to possible oil leaks in the air recirculation system affecting air quality. Symptoms suffered by crew and passengers on these flights indicate an impaired neurological system – nausea and subsequent vomiting, headaches, light-headedness, loss of taste and numbness are included.

All jet aircraft obtain fresh air to use in the cabin by extracting hot air from the plane’s engines, lowering the temperature and amalgamating it with the air currently in the cabin. In the case of the Bae146, oil leaks have been contaminating the air-conditioning system – and fumes often manage to intoxicate the cabin.

The Senate is focusing on the long-term effects of exposure to this contaminated air. The process of gathering empirical evidence that links these symptoms to the oil leaks and air circulation system is long and complicated.

While the Senate inquiry is focusing on the long-term effects of exposure to the contaminated air, it is apparent that even short-term effects are hazardous to those aboard the aircraft. Ross Coulthart reported anecdotal evidence that the effect of breathing this chemical concoction is similar to drinking alcohol. This can impair the judgement of the pilot who is flying the aeroplane. An example of this can be seen in a report submitted to the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation in 1997:

"While on descent into Melbourne, the crew of a British Aerospace 146 (BAe 146) freighter reported that they began to smell oil fumes… The pilot in command advised that, following the onset of the fumes, he had experienced difficulty in concentrating on the operation of the aircraft, and had suffered from a loss of situational awareness. By the time the aircraft had reached an altitude of approximately 2,000 ft, his control inputs had become jerky and he began suffering vertigo. He relinquished control of the aircraft to the co-pilot, who continued with the approach and landing.

"Some 6 hours after the incident, and for the next 10 days, the pilot in command suffered from severe headaches characterised by the feeling of a strong pressure on the top of the head. This diminished over time; however, he did report having balance problems while attempting to rise in a darkened room at night, and also reported that he had experienced increased headaches and vertigo while travelling. The supernumerary pilot reported reduced but similar symptoms. The co-pilot did not report having been affected by the fumes… During the course of the investigation, a number of flight and cabin crew members, employed by various Australian operators on BAe146 type aircraft, reported to the Bureau that they and others were experiencing a number of health problems. The crew members reported that they were either off work permanently, on prolonged sick leave, or in receipt of medical certificates that precluded them from undertaking normal crew duties on the aircraft. The crew members reported a variety of differing physical reactions arising from their perceived exposure to fume contamination, the most common being sore eyes, nose and throat; nausea; tiredness; and headache. The more disabling reactions reported include any of the above symptoms plus any of the following: dizziness, balance problems, extreme tiredness, extreme reaction to all oil-based products (including plastics and cosmetics), feelings of intoxication, slurred speech, inability to walk straight, skin rash, itchiness and blotching."

Why have these aeroplanes not been grounded? Ansett states that the air quality in the cabins of the BAe 146 is the same as any other aircraft, and within safety guidelines. Pilots have shown a reluctance to report incidences due to fear of losing their jobs. Passenger nausea is often put down to motion sickness.

If you do not normally suffer from motion sickness, and experience any symptom listed above during a flight on a Bae146 – make your complaint heard. The more the public consciousness is raised concerning this issue, the more likely the airlines will actively and visibly react to the criticism.

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4 - Frequent Flyer Stories in the Media

The ACCC is announcing an investigation into Qantas and Ansett’s loyalty programs. Due to claims that the rewards are unrealistic, Qantas and Ansett are being investigated for possible breaches of the Trade Practices Act. The investigation was instigated by consumer complaints. ACCC chairman Professor Allan Fels said the most common complaint was that despite gaining enough points to collect rewards, these records couldn’t be collected due to the unavailability of seats. The ACCC says the sections of the Trade Practices Act that the airlines have allegedly breached are Section 52 and 53c. Section 52 prohibits misleading and deceptive conduct and section 53(c) prohibits representations concerning performance characteristics, uses or benefits that services do not have.
Impulse Airlines have taken their maiden voyage, making them the third significant player in the domestic airfare market. The last time Australians had a choice of a third carrier was when Compass was operating in 1991. The airline will operate 117-seat Boeing 717-200 jets on a $139 one-way fare basis between Sydney and Melbourne. The airfares for Impulse Airlines are as follows:
Sydney-Melbourne: $139
Sydney-Canberra: $119
Sydney-Brisbane: $149
Due to the GST these prices will rise from July 1 onwards. Refer to the March edition of the Gazette at www.frequentflyer.com.au for more information on how the GST will affect the cost of travel.

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5 - Best of Bonus Points for June!

Fly Buys
Fly Buys and Bi-Lo commenced a competition in May where pet owners could have the chance to win 1 million Fly Buys Points. To enter, simply spend $5 or more on Lucky Dog products before 11^th of June, and you will go in the draw to win 1 million Fly Buys Points!

The Liquorland offers have changed for this month – buy a 750 bottle of Finlandia vodka or Jack Daniel’s bourbon whiskey, or a 700 ml bottle of Glenfiddich Malt Whisky and collect 100 bonus points. Buy a 4 pack of Jack Daniels & Cola and collect 50 bonus points.

Global Rewards
Earn Double Points flying non-stop from Sydney to L.A. (or on a one-stop service from Melbourne or Brisbane to L.A.) until 30^th June 2000. This amounts to 36,000 bonus points in First Class, above 30,000 in Business Class or over 16,000 in Pacific Class.

Earn Double Points flying Business or Pacific Class return to Auckland from Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney until 30^th June 2000.

Qantas
A new offer worth considering if you frequently travel internationally. You could earn up to 100,000 points by flying with any oneworld alliance partners to three or more of these continents until 31^st August 2000:

Europe and the Middle East;

Africa, including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia;

Asia including the Indian subcontinent;

Australia and the South Pacific including New Zealand and Papua New Guinea;

North America including Canada, the US, the Caribbean and Mexico; and

Central and South America.

The rules are:

You have to fly to at least three continents to commence collecting bonus points.
Each continent can only be counted once.

3 continents - 5,000 bonus points
4 continents - 15,000 bonus points
5 continents - 50,000 bonus points
6 continents - 100,000 bonus points

To find out more visit Qantas at http://www.qantas.com.au/

Qantas is also running a competition that could be exciting if you are flying domestically this month. Every passenger travelling on a domestic flight during the month of June will receive a ‘scratchie’ on-board. Prizes include Australian and international travel, Qantas Club memberships, Frequent Flyer points and travel vouchers.

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You have received this newsletter because you registered with The Australian Frequent Flyer.

The Australian Frequent Flyer is independently owned and is not affiliated with Ansett, Qantas or Fly Buys. While every effort has been made to ensure accurate information in this newsletter, it should be regarded as a guide only. You are advised to confirm all details before making any travel arrangements.

All information published in The Australian Frequent Flyer Gazette has been made available for public use. This information is freely available and subject to change without notice.