airsupport
1st Jul 2004, 21:28
New plane tested.
Friday, July 2
Pretend passengers touched down at Avalon Airport yesterday as budget airline Jetstar trialled the pride of its fleet, a new A320 Airbus.
The passengers carried bags stuffed with towels and blankets and flew out a few hours later.
They were willing accomplices helping Jetstar gain Civil Aviation Safety Authority permission to include Airbuses in its fleet.
``It's cost intensive, but we're required to do it,'' Jetstar corporate communications manager Simon Westaway said as he watched passengers file down the aircraft steps.
``They're test flights with passengers and simulated luggage, we ask some people to be cranky passengers or passengers in wheelchairs. We have to simulate a flying experience.''
Qantas staff on time off helped fill the planes. Qantas engineer Robert Bochno flew from Sydney to Avalon yesterday in the new A320 mainly to take his kids Nicholas, 8, Emily, 4, and Olivia, 2, for a spin.
``It was my first pretend flight,'' Mr Bochno said. ``The kids were making a bit of a mess in the plane but I said don't worry that will make it more realistic.''
http://www.geelonginfo.com.au/images/news/plane.jpg
Friday, July 2
Pretend passengers touched down at Avalon Airport yesterday as budget airline Jetstar trialled the pride of its fleet, a new A320 Airbus.
The passengers carried bags stuffed with towels and blankets and flew out a few hours later.
They were willing accomplices helping Jetstar gain Civil Aviation Safety Authority permission to include Airbuses in its fleet.
``It's cost intensive, but we're required to do it,'' Jetstar corporate communications manager Simon Westaway said as he watched passengers file down the aircraft steps.
``They're test flights with passengers and simulated luggage, we ask some people to be cranky passengers or passengers in wheelchairs. We have to simulate a flying experience.''
Qantas staff on time off helped fill the planes. Qantas engineer Robert Bochno flew from Sydney to Avalon yesterday in the new A320 mainly to take his kids Nicholas, 8, Emily, 4, and Olivia, 2, for a spin.
``It was my first pretend flight,'' Mr Bochno said. ``The kids were making a bit of a mess in the plane but I said don't worry that will make it more realistic.''
http://www.geelonginfo.com.au/images/news/plane.jpg