Reeltime:
Stop crying you pathetic weasels...an aircraft delay is NOT news, unless you are a reporter looking for an easy 'story' to make it look like you actually did something today.
'Woolies customers delayed at checkout due price check...'
'those toilet rolls were not priced correctly!' shouted a pregnant mum..'
'old lady inconvenienced by massive checkout queue..'
'baby crying in fruit and vege!'
Now these stories are really worthy of reporting, hopefully A Current Affair is on the case!
Rubbish! It is a very different situation!
At Coles or Woolies if I'm delayed I simply put my basket on the ground and walk out of the store empty handed and go somewhere else to do my shopping.
The Airline situation is quite different:
1. I've paid for the flight in advance of receiving it. I may, or may not, lose the money if I walk off the flight, even assuming that was possible. I may also not be able to choose another airline flight that day, or that week.
2. I've invested in the time and money involved in getting to the airport, been screened and passed immigration.
3. I've made arrangements at the destination that may not be easily changed, your delay may result in a series of cascading failures which may vitiate the entire purpose of the trip (for example attending a Three day scientific conference).
AND FINALLY, WHAT DOES THIS INCIDENT SAY ABOUT THE SAFETY CULTURE OF QANTAS WHEN THIS MATTER IS ONLY DETECTED AS A PROBLEM AT THE POINT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IS ABOUT TO DEPART????????
This is why I no longer willingly fly Qantas. After loading it's "Aw Gee! We've got a leaking spoiler actuator folks!" First we wait an hour to see if there is a spare in Melbourne and someone to change it (there isn't). Then its deplane and travel to Sydney. Then its re-board and arrive Twelve hours late in New Orleans. At least the pilot kept us in the loop.
To put it another way,
if the aircraft is not already capable of flight, then don't board any passengers. Don't even check us in. Tell us and we will change our travel plans to avoid you, although I can see that your managers don't want to lose their captives.
....And don't try and tell me that this was a "sudden" occurrence, I've heard that one before (although it can happen). Was this issue already written up by the previous crew? Has the aircraft been carrying this defect for days or weeks? Did what we once called a "permit to fly" expire? What about our wonderful in flight monitoring systems? It's lack of engineers, lack of spares, lack of spare aircraft and shoddy maintenance systems.....the low cost model.
To put it yet another way; If I'm prepared to invest my precious time and money in flying with you, then I expect that you are equally investing time and money in providing me with what I asked for; safe and
regular public transport. Obviously you aren't investing enough engineering and technical resources to do that.
To put it even yet another way; If, as Masked Goatrider has said, there is an issue with fuel tank sealant that is intermittently screwing up the probes or fuel system, then take the effing thing out of service until its reliably fixed instead of subjecting your passengers to this torture.