ABC (Trancript)
The World Today - Monday, 19 July , 2004 12:22:00
Reporter: Petria Wallace
Close shave for Qantas planes
ELEANOR HALL: To Queensland now, where Qantas and its budget carrier Jetstar are in damage control mode today, after claims from some passengers that the airlines flew too close to each other during flights over Hamilton Island on the weekend.
A short time ago Jetstar's CEO defended the airline, saying its plane had "maintained appropriate separation" from the Qantas aircraft.
Jetstar has also rejected criticisms from the Transport Workers Union that it's running its cut-price service as a sweatshop, with ground staff working shifts of up to 19 hours at a time.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has confirmed it has asked Air Service Australia and both of the airlines involved, for a written report on the alleged safety incident, as Petria Wallace reports from Brisbane.
PETRIA WALLACE: It's an airline's public relations nightmare. Passengers on the Jetstar flight which left Hamilton Island on Saturday afternoon walked off the flight home, recounting stories of what they believe was a near-miss accident.
The returning holidaymakers say they felt the aircraft bank sharply shortly after take off. Some said they saw a Qantas plane close by as the Jetstar aircraft changed direction.
VOX POP 1: They saw a Qantas airplane coming straight towards our plane.
VOX POP 2: Very scary experience to think what could have happened.
PETRIA WALLACE: A short time ago Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce told the media that the pilot had taken appropriate action during take-off, and that the aircraft was under the control of Hamilton air traffic control at all times.
ALAN JOYCE: Communication on the aircraft was left up to the pilot at the time to tell the passengers exactly what had happened, but they maintained appropriate separation at all times.
PETRIA WALLACE: Under repeated questioning Alan Joyce did admit the Jetstar pilots had been forced to change direction as the plane ascended.
ALAN JOYCE: They took appropriate action which involved a change in course to maintain separation.
JOURNALIST: So they had to take evasive action?
ALAN JOYCE: That's part of the review of the ATSB, and they'll cover what's entailed in that…
JOURNALIST: If they hadn't that action would they have hit?
ALAN JOYCE: As I say at this part of the review by the ATSB, I think we can't comment on it any further, 'cause they're doing the investigation and they're getting more information.
PETRIA WALLACE: Qantas has also hit the airwaves this morning to point out it's keen to cooperate with any investigation.
Michael Sharpe is the company's Public Relations Manager.
MICHAEL SHARPE: There have been reports that Jetstar, the Jetstar aircraft turned I think to the left, but as to the reasons why that happened, or exactly what did happen, that's exactly what details will be gathered and provided so that the Transport Safety Bureau can draw a conclusion and decide whether or not to investigate the matter.
PETRIA WALLACE: The aviation safety watchdog – the Australian Transport Safety Bureau – has requested further information from both airlines, but says it has insufficient evidence at this stage to regard the flight as a safety incident. The Bureau's expected to make an announcement about its inquiries later today.
Jetstar has also come under fire over the weekend from the Transport Workers Union for operating under what it claims are sweatshop conditions. The union says the budget airline employs a third of the ground workers used by other major airlines.
An allegation Jetstar's Alan Joyce denies.
ALAN JOYCE: There's a lot of misleading information on it. The number of people that we employ to turn around an aircraft is proportionally higher than some of our competition because our aircraft are smaller.
So there's a lot of misleading information and we're happy with what the (inaudible) company are doing, they are safe, they are applying good conditions and we don't think there's any issues there.
ELEANOR HALL: Jetstar's CEO Alan Joyce ending that report from Petria Wallace.
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