Originally Posted by
ElZilcho
It's neither and it's both. Take your pick.
The Airline and MOH have been in collaboration for months to keep the supply chains open (Air Freight, Returning Citizens) while managing the risks associated with COVID. The point is, information is being freely exchanged between the two, many of which you wont read in the Newspaper. I've honestly lost count how many times the procedures have been modified over the last few months.
During this period, some CC (including Union reps) have taken it upon themselves to leak information to the Media, often distorting the details and/or lacking proper context in a misguided attempt to save Jobs. So much so in fact, that the Pilot unions (and possibly the engineers) have distanced themselves from the CC. I feel for them, I really do, but they've done themselves more harm than good.
Interestingly enough, in my last refresher course (done during COVID), one of the topics was Decompression and the effects of Hypoxia... time of useful consciousness all that jazz. One of the Videos we got to watch was in an Altitude Chamber with an explosive decompression at altitude. Even though he knew it was coming, and his mask was right in front of him, he failed to get it on in time. Obviously a Domestic COVID flight will be at a lower altitude, especially the T-Props, but what effect does "Full PPE" have on a Crew's ability to perform their duties in the event of an emergency? Has it been tested? Beware law of unintended consequences... nothing exists in a Vacuum, unless it's Media windup.
Separating International and Domestic CC sounds great for the papers to appease the Court of Public opinion. In practice however, what exactly has it accomplished? Those international CC cannot operate a Domestic duty following an international one, but they can go shopping at the local mall because, reasons? This of course leads into the old "Crew should be stood down for 14 days" argument. But we know, that would simply lead to the operation not being viable and further jobs lost. Some say that doesn't matter "Lives before Profit". But we also know you cannot legally prevent a Citizen from returning home... so if Air NZ don't bring em in, the Chinese carriers will. Then what? Can't keep them all in Auckland, so we'll go from COVID flights to COVID busses.... do we then stand the Bus Drivers down for 14 days?
Border Staff and Quarantine Facility staff, who are arguably at a higher risk of COVID than Crew haven't been getting tested and have avoided scrutiny by the media because...they're not Air NZ so no one cares? Only now that COVID is back in the Community have lapses in procedures and testing at these facilities comes to light. Do these workers have to isolate for 14 days after a shift? Or do they go back home to their families and the local community in the same manner Crew do because precautions are being taken?
Honestly, I have no time for people who start threads and bash an Airline (any Airline) on the basis of click baity media articles full of half truths and no context. These are the same "journalists" who love to talk about Aircraft "plummeting" and Pax "fearing for the lives" everytime we take-off. As Pilots, we can usually through this nonsense so why should COVID be any different?
Eloquent and well put EZ. DeltaT is potentially a disgruntled pilot from an Australian airline stood down or redundant, sitting at home and trying their hardest to read whatever airline news they can get their hands on, which is limited to clickbait articles.
I have personally received screenshots from a VANZ Captain who has been sitting at home for six months... and some of the conspiracies he is now sharing on social media is bewildering. Completely lost touch with reality. Reading all the clickbait as truth. Career spent studying FCOMs and desperate to keep the sane amount of ‘study‘ up.
Perspective is key. And getting accurate information from multiple sources. Keep up god’s work of quashing the bullshot on this forum.