What's up with JQ today?

[Ken Borough]

Today JQ had four A330 departures from Sydney. ALL were delayed by between 1 hour 11minutes and 5 hours 46 minutes. They also operated a ferry flight to Sydney Inl Terminal. I know the TWU were have a few issues with the Qantas Group but surely this is not the whole story. Anyone know what happened to them?

[numbskull]

Just quietly, its not only the TWU that have issues with the Qantas Group.

I have no idea what happened but I expect that the planes broke down and the engineers who had to fix it (if they could find someone with the appropriate licence) were under resourced as usual.

[Kangaroo Court]

How long does it take to get an engineer from Singapore?:\

[speedbirdhouse]

Those punctuality stats would be considered good at Qantas.

[WangFunk]

Qantas on time performance these days doesnt exist from everything I been hearing

[QF DRIVE]

Jetstar delays. Probally the same reason as the all the QF flights and every other airline who was due to depart between 1200 and 1600 were delayed. The ramp guys walked off for a one hour meeting and stayed off for four hours. Took another 2 hours to load aircraft and clear the congestion with pushbacks.:ugh:

[TWOTBAGS]

I was in the terminal, and the announcements to the JQ pax was that the aircraft had departed for its “test flight and should be back soon”.

A while later A JQ330 (EBF I think) pulled into Gate 34 just 3 in the front end and the QF 330 terminal servicing teem waiting on the ground.

Don’t know if what ever was fixed because we had to push by then.
:suspect:

[oz in dxb]

problem is...... they're not boeings

[Short_Circuit]

^ true and lack of trained staff to service them at SYD QE, still....

[rammel]

I don't know the reasons for this delay. But if it was that the Ramp had a meeting, then the current/old Workchoices might have something to do with it.

In the laws it stated that if you had a stop work meeting, even for 15mins you were docked 4 hrs pay. So if you are being docked 4 hrs, you might as well stay off for 4hrs. With the morale the way it is at QF at the moment, this is probably what happened.

I don't see how this law could benefit any business, especially a business that runs to a schedule.

[Mstr Caution]

On Monday 17th March 2008 baggage handlers went to an electronic allocation of work via PDA type system.

The change required handlers to be accountable for every working minute they are at work. So no early "knocking off" whilst still on company time.

Speaking to a handler prior to the introduction, he was telling me to expect delays as the handlers are pi$$*d off with the new system.

I dont know if its the reason for these delays but it's possible.

MC :8

[rammel]

Yes I know of the system you are refering to. It is used in Mel and some other ports. The main reasons for delays ex Mel are lack of manpower, but you would never know it looking at the delay reports.

Theorectically the system seems to be a good system if you have the manpower required. QF doesn't and in Mel, they are always manually manipulating the system to cope with the lack of resources. Both in Customer Service and on the Ramp.

There are a whole lot of other issues with this system, which are too numerous to write here.

[Mstr Caution]

There has been a gradual reduction in time over the amount of handlers in each team.

Theoretically, it is a good system (the new one). As new jobs come online loading or unloading aircraft it is alloacated to the next available crew.

Rather then the pre-alloaction of duties which "blows out" as a delay is experienced on the first turnaround.

Problem for the company is the handlers have already worked out how to manipulate the new system. They wont report available via their PDA that they have finished with the "current" job, so they cant be issued the next job.

The problem is one of a cultural one, for too many years handlers have been able to skip off work early & still be on the payroll whilst other guys covered for them. Now the system is changed to improved efficiencies & accountability their pi$$*d off with it.

MC:8

[Mstr Caution]

Further to the last.

I have confirmed that the handlers went out for 4 hours industrial action.

Lack of manpower on the ramp has been there major concern & the recent introduction of I-Roster was the straw that broke the camels back.

Manpower wise, I was told that 12 handlers use to load something like a 744 freighter, now only 3 do the same work.

Handlers have serious OHS concerns due to the lack of manpower.

An example of this was a handler was loading a pallet in the hold & when the pallet moved his hand was pinned / wedged under the pallet. Due only 3 baggage handlers, one on the tug, one outside & the third in the hold. He was supposedly there for 20 minutes or so before any concern was raised.

As for I-Roster. As previously stated. Crew working as a "gang" would be able to cover for one or two guys who would "skip" off work early. Now once a "job" is complete the leader would report "job finished" and rather than be allocated new jobs as a group the gang would "splinter" to the allocated work. Therefore it's not possible for one to skip off work early.

As for employer / employee relations their are also some investigations going on with regard to staff travel but that's another issue all together.

Speaking to someone who was at the meeting with senior management (BF) on Wednesday, supposedly the company played the card they were unaware of any concerns of manpower shortages. Management indicated at the time, were the handlers looking for VR payouts & the response was NO, they wanted manpower issues resolved to satisfy their OHS concerns.

Other issues also exist, such as delays loading & unloading due to a shortage of baggage trolleys & the company not willing to invest in aquiring more trolleys.

I would expect that more delays will ocurr until there concerns are addressed.

MC :8

[rammel]

The company has never wanted to invest in ground equipment. This aside from man power is also one of the most common reasons for delays, but once again you wouldn't know it looking at delay reports.

There are so many Ramp issues that the new iRoster is just one of many. A lot of the guys I know, who are good workers and used to be company men, no longer feel that way. This is not because of iRoster, but of managements attitude towards their staff.

[Jabawocky]

Could it be that the staff cutbacks were caused by those who are bleating now.

12 people to load a 744F, half standing around, 3 goofed off, and 3 doing the work. Suddenly management noticed this. Now you have 3. Probably should have 5,but who would really know?

This is hyperthetical, however its often the case how things develop when an old style government organisation is privatised and effeciency gains are looked for.

Just contemplate that for a minute before you slag back at me.....its not the first time that silly scenario has happened.

J

[rammel]

When I was on the Ramp, it was 10 people to load a 744F. This was what the company wanted to achieve an on time turn around/departure, according to the precision timing schedule.

If it is full, you need at least 10. This is because a lot of the time is actually spent looking for the cargo. It is not lined up how it will be loaded, so you are often driving around in circles putting cargo on.

Of course there are some areas where changes to work practices may be made, but from what i've seen of most changes on the Ramp there is a consequence elsewhere. Either on time departures go down or compo claims go up. Normally it is both happen together.

[Mstr Caution]

Jabawocky,

I agree the truth is probably half way in the middle.

The TWU outlines a minimum of 12 to load a B747F, the company has cut it back to 3 in efforts to reduce costs.

Company orientated loaders I have spoken to have indicated that 3 is a joke, for the OHS and ontime reasons already outlined. The same loader informed me his team was unable to unload an outside client (vietnam airlines) aircraft the other day becasue there was no trolleys available to put the pallets on! They supposedly had to wait nearly an hour before trolleys were available from other completed jobs.

You can only cut manpower to a certain point before efficiency gains become losses.

MC :8