Major B@lls up at easyland as flights are cancelled

[LTNman]

Looks like someone at easyland has cocked up big time. Part of the easyjet fleet now has no insurance cover. Flights are just starting to be cancelled at Luton even though passengers have been queuing for an hour or more to check in as check-in desks fail to open. Passengers are now being told that their flights are cancelled due to documentation problems

Update from easyland

easyJet would like to apologise to customers for any disruption they have suffered this morning following an administrative insurance oversight.

All easyJet aircraft are fully insured. However, due to an administrative error, a number of insurance documents had not been placed on the relevant aircraft overnight. Carriage of these documents is required by the regulatory authorities. All the paperwork is now in place.

However, it will lead to disruption and knock-on delays throughout the day and a list of cancelled flights is below.

easyJet is conducting a full and immediate internal inquiry. All staff at easyJet are currently working to resolve the situation and apologises for any inconvenience that it has caused.

[Slim20]

Unbelievable.

This exact isuue has been on the Balpa website for two weeks. People have been flagging this issue up on the journey logs since December.

It's inexcusable. EZY drops the ball again. I wonder which member of the Golden 40 Club will own up to this one?

[autobrake3]

On the contrary, being easyjet it's very believable. Not an incident detectable by Flydras there will be no accountability ! Like to agree to profit related bonuses anyone ?

[LTNman]

From the BBC

No frills airline Easyjet has apologised after about 4,800 passengers were delayed by an administration blunder which delayed 40 flights.
The aircraft were delayed on Saturday after insurance documents were not placed on the relevant planes.

Passengers embarking on their bank holiday getaway to continental Europe and UK destinations were affected, with Stansted and Luton the worst hit.

Knock-on effects meant a further 14 flights were cancelled.

Full inquiry

Passengers due to fly on those were transferred to other flights and the company said it was "working to avoid" delaying people until Sunday.

The disruption came because vital insurance renewal documents were not placed in the aircraft.

The blunder was discovered at around 6.30am on Saturday morning.

All affected planes were due to take off by 10.30am, head of corporate affairs Toby Nicol said.

While services from Luton and Stansted were hardest hit, Newcastle, Liverpool and Bristol were also affected.

Mr Nicol said the company would hold a "full and immediate" inquiry into why the documents were not on board but Saturday's priority was to get people to their destinations.

[Minister Lollipop]

It is just like everything else at EZY - no accountability and no ownership of problems. I don't suppose anyone will take the rap for this either - another million wasted - never mind. I don't think I am going to vote for profit share.
The wheels all turn too slowly for such a big company now - it needs to raise its game now or more wheels are going to fall off the wagon before the summer is out.
So we are meant to still believe that the voyage logs are getting read? - saved to another keyfile somewhere on the intranet? but Captain's had still better keep a copy just incase the company loose it!! Too many distractions with new routes, new aircraft and not enough pilots and we have lost the focus on the daily ops maybe?:confused:

[MerchantVenturer]

There is another thread in Airlines, Airports and Routes re this topic that has generated several posts.

[fruitcake]

ok , what about the crew , did they warned personally their chiefs about this was going to happen in a few days after checking the a/c docs? , I know it happened at our company twice that after i rang them that the docs were expiring in 1 day, suddenly people woke up.

regards

[dontdoit]

A bunch of incompetent clowns one and all.

Allegedly, CAA "investigating" the handful of crews that managed to get airborne in uninsured aircraft before the mistake was realised. Expect major trouble first thing on Tues morning (CAA closed Monday for Bank Holiday).

[FlapsOne]

dondoit

Only problem is, the aircraft were insured - they just didn't have the up-to-date docs on board.

So I guess the 'alleged' CAA investigation will be a pretty short one!!

Still a pretty stupid c0ck up though.

[Toilet_Town]

fruitcake

Yes the crews have been telling the company about documents going out of date.

:rolleyes:

[Unwell_Raptor]

Why is this so important?

Any insurance docs carried on an aircraft will probably be destroyed in a crash, and I can't see the captains exchanging insurance particulars after a midair.

[Rollingthunder]

It's bureaucratic silliness to require insurance certificates to be onboard. They should be held and available at head office. That would suffice. Similarly, the ownership certificate. It's a bit of a joke to walk on board and read the certificate indicating this aircraft is owned by XXX bank of XXX.

[Flap 5]

Saska is absolutely correct. I am surprised at the comments from some people here. The fact that the aircraft were insured is irrelevant Flaps One. You must carry proof of this on board the aircraft to show to authorities at other airports. Indeed that is how the CAA can prevent carriers flying in to the UK if there is no evidence of insurance cover.

The first thing I have to check when I get on board an aircraft is the documents in the envelope on the cockpit door. Unfortunately the fast turnrounds at easyjet often lead to pilots skimping on this check.

[kite]

So easyJet pilots often skimp on checking the documents held in the envelope on the cockpit deck door eh?

Considering the documents in question are held in a binder stored in a bag beneath the jumpseat, you too may easily be in breach of the regulations. Either that or you're spreading bad allegations about easyJet pilots whilst not actually being one.

[autobrake3]

It is not a requirement of the ANO that insurance certificates are carried on board. Check the ANO schedule 11, articles 61 and 63, documents to be carried by aircraft registered in the UK. Statutory Instrument 1989 No. 2004 /
The Air Navigation Order 1989 - Documents And Records (http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1989/Uksi_19892004_en_9.htm#mdiv61) :ok:

[COWPAT]

I am not EJ but just wanted to say that if I checked all the flight deck documents were up to date before every flight we would never get away on time. I have accepted several aircraft away from main base with ood docs, mainly Jepp Charts. Not strictly legit, but what to do lah?

Its an EJ management issue guys. Not the crews fault, imho.

[FlapsOne]

Flap 5

It's not irrelevant to my post. I only included that to correct the factual inaccuracies of some previous posts.

[Slim20]

Autobrake 3

I think you will find the relevant procedures in JAR-OPS. A valid Insurance certificate is required along with Airworthiness Cert, Noise Cert, Radio Licence, Registration Cert and copy of Operator's AOC.

As I said before - if those responsible for this debacle read journey logs or ASRs, this would never have happened.

In EZY's defence, the operations dept dealt with the situation admirably. But then they are used to fighting fires on a daily basis...

[BOAC]

Out of interest (and not a problem in BA since JAA have accepted that engineering are responsible for these documents and the Captain's responsibilty is thereby removed), but am I correct in assuming that the ANO is now no longer in force, and is totally replaced by JAR since there is an obvious conflict between the two on this matter?

[aw ditor]

See JAR OPS 1.125 on Page 1-B-5

[BOAC]

aw - it was that reference that prompted the question!

Anyone got the answer? Is the ANO now totally defunct?

[aw ditor]

The ANO is not defunct, the CAA uses JAR-OPS1 as a measure to ascertain whether or not to grant an AOC under the terms of Article 6 of the current ANO.( see page 1 of the AOC) You will need to obtain a copy of the current AOC to ascertain precisely which requirements of JAR-OPS1 that Easy' have to comply with.(These have in the past been contained in the Second Schedule to an AOC and referred to in General Condition A6) Apologies for all the "currents" but the up-to-date versions must be used!

[BOAC]

Thanks aw - that is nice and clear!:D

[126.9]

In the year 2004 one would have thought that carrying the actual document on board would be irrelevant, as opposed to actually having to be insured. Furthermore, there are many countries where the requirement is to be insured, and not to have to carry the certificate.

[Capt Sly]

BOAC you say:

Out of interest (and not a problem in BA since JAA have accepted that engineering are responsible for these documents and the Captain's responsibilty is thereby removed). . . .

Engineering at LHR dont check the docs on a regular basis... I check the docs on 90% of aircraft during the security checks, and have found 10 cetificates up to 7 months out of date on BA aircraft. Doh!

Fax machines still have their uses :D

[paulo]

I'm not in the industry so please forgive me if I'm being dumb or ignorant, but there does seem some sense in requiring insurance docs to be carried. If [Obscure]Air turns up from [Obscure]Land, you've got something tangible that you can then check up on if you wish. Without it you've only got a promise from [Obscure]Air and a hope that [Obscure]CAA is strong on regulation.

As I say, just an outsider's observation/question.

[hangar]

umm did i hear right once?

that those sort of documents should not be carried in the actual a/c just incase (touch wood) the aircraft would go down and everything was destroyed due to fire etc..

maybe it was just something i heard wrong

:rolleyes:

[BOAC]

and have found 10 certificates up to 7 months out of date on BA aircraft - hope you MOR'd that?

I have been reliably informed (by the 'clever ones') that the BA Captain's responsibility is discharged by engineering in this area, as is the absolving of the Captain (in BA) from ensuring there are sufficient life-jackets on board for the flight across the Atlantic.:eek: It is what we know as 'SEP' (Someone Else's Problem):D

[Slim20]

I notice there is a vacancy in EZY for "Document Control Team Leader".

I wonder...?!

[CargoOne]

Is it really big problem just to fax insurance certificate from HDQ to the nearest fax machine around particular aircraft?
Have no idea what are UK CAA regulations on this matter, but under JAR OPS 1.125 the fax copy of certificate is fine...

*******************
JAR–OPS 1.125 Documents to be carried
....
(6) [The original or a copy of the] Third
party liability Insurance Certificate(s).
.......

Appendix 1 to JAR-OPS 1.125
Documents to be carried
See JAR-OPS 1.125
In case of loss or theft of documents specified in
JAR-OPS 1.125, the operation is allowed to continue
until the flight reaches the base or a place where a
replacement document can be provided.