I can tell you first hand that MEL is not short of crew. Maybe you are already aware that Melbourne crew with seniority of 7 years down are all getting 2 leg SYD returns of 4.30hrs!! Some crew are blocked at less than 100hrs and these are full time not casual. MEL crew are screaming for work and arent getting any. Going from 10-12 overnights a month to 21 SYD returns is not pretty. Going from your post showing 200 plus nights in MEL, its obvious where MEL flying has gone.
so now with the most recent news of cutting the CNS-NRT qf flights does it seem viable to just keep the cabin crew there to mainly take over other bases flying? Granted we do many ADL overnights where there is no base, but many other flying is based out of MEL doing day trips and SYD? brace ourselves here we go again i guess....
Here we go again. Slap in the face number 8 awarded to the Cairns based QF crew.
I've always been a supporter of having the base remain from AO to QF wetlease to QF S/H. But now, 6 years of worry and uncertainty has done my head in.
Close the base, move us to BNE,SYD OR MEL and cut the crap. So sick of living like this !
As far as putting JQ on the NRT flights. I won't even comment because what I have to say will not be nice.
Somehow AO managed to fill up 4 767's a day for four years. Now, not even after one year operating to NGO and KIX we are seeing JQ cutting the route. Big round of applause ! Imagine what will now happen to NRT ! The Japanese do not like Jetstar, will QF management ever understand ?
I feel sorry for everyone in Cairns - the ground staff who will lose their jobs with the axing of the only 2 Qantas operated flights from the international terminal in Cairns, the cabin crew who yet again face an uncertain future due to an oversized base , and the tech crew 767 base of which many don't want to leave when the tech crew base closes in December.
R.I.P the best years of my life in Cairns.
' Australian Airlines - Catch the Holiday Spirit '
I dont blame you Qf Skywalker for feeling like you do. It must suck big time having to constantly worry about whats around the corner, especially after all the changes you have already been through. I just would like to know why they are so keen to keep it open. I guess its just political, needing to be seen as not deserting the FNQ economy too much too soon as QF have already announced big cutbacks up there. Interesting to see what happens!!
Long live AO! Fantasic f/a's and can always tell the difference on SH flights...
What doesn't make sense to me is, there was comment that one could interpret when B787's arrive that CNS QF SH will again do CNS-NRT? And also if CNS are sitting on RES so much then why continue to recruit MAM casuals? I mean there have been more than 10MAM recruitment days this year so far and still SH complain of being short?
As for JQi and NRT, I presume that this would operate or atleast codeshare with QF so they can get into NRT as there is a long waiting list for NRT?
1 day before per l/h base was closed down the base manager was assuring crew that the base would remain open. don't listen to the base manager, they will say what they want you to hear and do what they want, or have, to do. i still see sense in keeping the base even with a reduced base size to cover early flights out and late flights in. completely shutting down a base is not cheap and who knows what the flying will be in a year or two down the track. good luck!
Here we go again. This thread is for current QCCA crew issues so if you want to post make it relevant please.
My question is if our rosters are blocked above the 210 hours why are we not able to clear our A days through crewing. The FAAA have already made an arrangement with QF that if we fall below the 210 (our version of a low line) we then are able to be allocated duties on 2 occasions throughout the roster to make up the hours to a maximum of 220.
If this is the case then why do the company think we are still available if we are over the minimum. When I called crewing the girl admitted she had no idea if we could or couldn't clear as QF crew do. Then she rang back an hour later and said because we can work up to 240 and my roster wasn't blocked at that I am available to the company. But the same goes for QF crew and they can still clear their A days.
If anyone has any further info it is greatly appreciated. I will be contacting the FAAA tomorrow morning to discuss this with them and will post any results for you all.
In my experience the base managers are not told anything either.
When Alison Webster visited she firmly committed to the Cairns base remaining operational for some time. So, if anything changes we can point the finger at her. Our current base manager is very supportive of the Cairns base and its crew.
Bring on secondments to QCCA. If they did this in the beginning we all would have taken off down south. Cairns has a base of 'true' Long Haul hosties in it.
Managers will say what they are told to say. If they say we will be closing down in 6months crew would all leave and nobody would be in cns to continue the flying until the very last day. They need crew to continue the flying other bases wont do, or can't for crew numbers.
As for the MAM recruitment.... Well, they will never hire crew as good as CNS crew. What a difference on a flight to have people that love being there and know how to serve business class on an International flight. CNS crew do not suit Domestic! Why they didnt get pushed to L/H is beyond me! So let them hire MAM.
Who knows what's happening up north, have we ever??
To my fellow CNS base crew. Thankyou so much for the past 6 years. It’s been the best time of my life. Remember the days of BKI, 8 day DPS and 4 day FUK and Aust Day Parties. It’s been a turbulent 6-year battle with the company that is for sure. I just want to wish everyone the best of luck for our next batch of ‘clear air’ and remember we all know each other’s true value, as crew even if the company thinks cheap is better. Who knows London might just be an AO base after all, if only we could take the weather with us!
Hopefully there will be a letter to explain details from the FAAA soon. In the meantime if you are blocked more then 210 hours on your flying roster, and don't owe the company hours from sick leave, then you do not have to work on your A days and are not obligated to accept any further duty assigned to you.
As far as the clearing of a days like QF do, the FAAA are working on that with the company and we should have a clearer idea of how it all works soon.
The low line rosters were explained pretty well in the last newsletter so let's hope we get more information coming about regular rosters and our obligations to the company. None of us want to do the wrong thing, and the confusion is causing some anxiety.
At last count we had about 30 odd crew up in London. It really is turning into an AO base ! If you can't beat em, join em ! I just might yet. Flying with 'some' of the non smiling, unfriendly whinge bags is doing my head in. I reckon we need more MAM. Bring on the young MAM casuals to help pull the old girls in to line.
Inca_44 - Thank you for your nice comments about the cns crew. As soon as I fly with other crew they automatically know we are AO crew. It's quite funny actually.
And yes flygrl, who could ever forget the Sabah and Bali overnights. The long Hong Kong and Singapore 3 nighters and of course the Phuket 4 day slips.
QF skywalker, if they shut down the cairns base do not wish for secondment to QCCA. i have already flown with some ex mam crew who came over to longhaul and are stunned by the pay decrease they have taken. whatever else, remain permanent crew with seniority, higher base pay whether you are shorthaul or longhaul, all penalties on the relevant award and the protection that goes with it. i earn as much,if not more, than what a QCCA CSM will earn. your superannuation will increase faster as it is based on minimum annual pay and you will not be on a 6 month probationary period as QCCA are subject to.... one has already been sacked! fly with them but do not become one of them (except in spirit). you have done the pain, still are, don't give up the gain. to the ex AN crew, i am so sorry for all of you
spoke to union this afternoon to see what they had to say.. was told a meeting scheduled thurs and hopefully an update will be out that afternoon or friday.
lets wait and see... i just hope it has the words 'long haul transfers offered'
it seems from reading the posts that many CNS crew want to move from CNS, be it to SYD/MEL or to long haul even London, so why doesn't the company offer it?! it would save them money for not having an over sized base, make half the base happy, and solve alot of issues for them and for people wanting to move! isn't that a win-win?!
I am ex AN and was offered a position with QF after that day in Sept. I decided to move on and after reading the above I am so glad I did. I just hope everything works out for you all as I do know how it feels when you have no say in what happens. Just remember there is life after flying so go for it. All the best.
These so called 'A' days are infact defacto standby days.If CC resources become scarce on these days you can used to fill the void and assist in crewing an aircraft.This would destroy the remainder of your line. You need to understand the mentality in Operations.They do not plan ahead effectively and operate on a "just in time' basis.Short term crisis management if you will.You are not considered to be a crew member with a life but rather a "unit of work". PRA(personal roster adjustments)are rife as CC strive to balance home and work life. When your employer offers no assistance in this regard you use the rules to provide the balance. Your employer does not understand that this why sick leave amongst CC is high. The new fatigue protocol will also help address this imbalance. If you are fatigued and unable to perform your safety duties effectively write a safety hazard report. In the company's own words this must be treated discretely,confidentially and sensitively. With rosters of 240 hours 'fatigue' will become both your friend and enemy
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