Hi guys, just to share one of my day with you. Something you could be interested in if you want to join. It's only my opinion of course, you need to make your own.
The other day I went to the office for my flight, I always arrive in the room 2 hours before the ETD. The official reporting time is 1h15min before. This time I couldn't find easily a parking spot and did two times the full cycle (not just in front of Hardees, all the way back to the Mc Donalds and return to the parking behind the Hardees, the loop inside and then the technical building...). Two times! Usually I always find in the first minutes. This time I found on the third attempt in front of Hardees and it took me exactly 35min more than usual (you start to feel them when you lose your margin) and I was quick.
Then I tried to maintain the only printer available and failed. When someone could have a look and couldn't manage as well, he declared her U/S. I had hope because it partially worked so I wasted more time than I usually would have. 20 minutes to get my documents printed and I didn't take a break.
Luckily we were parked in the stand A and were in the aircraft 45min before, on time, we didn't have to rush any procedure. Considering the time to go there through the immigration and the security (which is simplified to the maximum here) and find a bus; you have a good idea of the time we had to check about the notams, TAF, flight plan, etc..
And if we both came 1h15min before...
Is QR responsible about the traffic jam and lack of space available? No.
However they didn't take any measure to try to solve this problem, like in Asia where the companies organise a pick up for the pilots. They don't do it for the same reasons that they don't hire more people to print the flight plans. Saving at any cost as the British say... even if you lose money on this (in my opinion, when I see how many pilots leave every year).
Am I trying to start a union and saying that I shouldn't have to print my own flight plan? No I have no problem to do that, even changing the toner and charging the paper tray of the printer. If my contract says that it is my job as a pilot, then so be it.
I am just saying: sometimes I spend much more time with such kind of things than actually preparing my flight and I don't think it is safe. I don't think it should be like that in a five star airline.