Impulse cabin crew NEVER had to sleep on aircraft due to the company not providing hotels. Utter BS!
The trip this rumour started from was a BOC duty MEL-HBA-MEL. Sign on in mel at 11pm and sign off at 6.30am with a long transit in HBA (duty was 7hrs30). At that time we has no shared accomodation for extended transits - day or night. The crew were, however, provided with the old Air NZ Koru Club Lounge at HBA International terminal. The lounge was quite small and obviously did not include beds. Some crew then
chose to stay onboard the aircraft for the duration of the transit (around 4hrs 30). These same crew also brought gear to sleep in.
This BOC duty was no different to working completely through the night as it was all duty time. Infact one could say that they had the benefit of being able to sleep on company time as opposed to working.
Another piece of information the loads on the midnight outbound were never more that 20 - the flight was for underfloor freight. The crew were never worked hard.
Initially the trip was bid for on seniority with a commitment of 3 months. I think crew worked 3 trips one week and 4 the next. You can imagine it appealled to the Mother's Club and those with other jobs/interests.
The discontent regarding this short-lived pattern came about when general crew were rostered this trip as well as regular flying. BOC was unheard of and blew the minds of most VQ cabin crew. As we were paid no more for this duty many crew did not want to do it. Crew were condtioned to solely earlies then days off then lates - never a mixture or with BOC thrown in.
The second wave of discontent came when we began QFLink ops and the outbound flight left an hour earlier and the morning flight half and hour later - meaning a longer transit (and a duty time of around 9 hours). As the 717s were now operating from the QF terminal in HBA there was no longer access to the International Lounge. In the chaos that was the changeover our short-sighted managers forgot about transit amenities. Hence crew spent the transit on the aircraft as we had no extended transit accomodation provisions at the time. This is completely in line with what would have happened on a day duty. The other gripe was we were now doing hot meals on these sectors and there was more customers - harder work.
Given this pattern was blocked as one continuous duty all was counted as duty time and was therefore no different to working the whole 7.30/9 hours. Some could even say it was a score as the loads usually extremely light and they were paid to do nothing for the bulk of the duty. Also at the time EVERY other VQ pattern was four sectors.
When crew began slipping in HBA about a month into QFLink ops this duty was scrapped. This pattern was around for a total of 3-4 months. Yet the rumour will live forever I reckon!
To summise the RUMOUR was started by those who were not interested in working BOC and got thrown it on their roster even though they didn't sign up to do it. Doing our day time BNE-SYD-MEL shuttles with few overnights we were sheltered from what being a 'real' flight attendant was all about. Many of the young crew at Impulse just didn't understand the concept of BOC or mixtures of lates/earlies/BOC. Even things like weather delays or medical diversions were seen as MASSIVE news in those early days.
Incidently some of our hotels at VQ were a world above some of those provided to QF Short Haul nowadays. My first ever overnight was in BNE at the Hilton. We did stay at Siloms in MEL out near the airport in the start up days and I would have prefered to sleep on the aircraft if they let me!
Until recently Short Haul had long (3hr+) transits in KTA after a 0450 start. Although MANY crew slept onboard you do not hear such discontentment. The trip had happened for years and was quite senior actually.
EAAFA -
I must apoligise for my rant. I hate Jetstar management's tactics as much as the next person. I just have a 'thing' with that BS rumour about sleeping on aircraft. Totally false.
terminal 2 -
I know a guy who resigned yesterday. So sad to know it is all part of their plan. Not a good work environment where you watch your colleagues endlessly circle management's revolving door.
