Sydney Airport Carpark

[bddbism]

For those who are being kicked out to the long term staff carpark in a few days time, the question beckons; SACL have quoted a maximum waiting time for shuttle busses of 28 minutes each way. This equates - especially to ground staff/short haul crew - to roughly an extra day of work every 8 days just to find a carpark! Should there be some sort of compensation for this (eg discounted rail passes similar to the Brisbane setup) or is it just a case of suck it up princess?

Whilst i'm sure the railway cares deeply about our parking arrangements, me thinks the latter.

[stewbake]

The question is how many kms extra are we travelling by being shifted round there? That is the only constant, but as Sydney Airport has admitted its a purely commercial decision, if we had enough people interested, would we have the grounds for a group claim for redress?

[ga_trojan]

The real issue is having staff on buses with the general public. Only a matter of time before it comes to blows between some angry customer and a airline employee.

[FoxtrotAlpha18]

ga_t...what's the difference? We long term parking pax have to share the busses now with Jetstar & Virgin, and have never seen any kind of "blows"

[Wedcue]

Late night travel back to the carpark on a bus with a group of "lads" clearly targeting the blonde flight attendant. It would have been classified as sexual harassment if it were a work place, but hey, it's no longer the work place is it? Yet it's the only way to get to your car after your shift.

Hands up for a crew bus, Melbourne have one, why can't Sydney?

[hadagutfull]

Why are there staff still in the long term car park ?
Why are staff getting punted from the terminal car park?
There are 2 monstrous car parks now plus all the paved areas .
How can there be no room??

[bddbism]

I guess as per the norm with reactive businesses nothing will be done until someone gets hurt. And even then, if it's cheaper to put a security guard on the bus rather than run a staff bus they'll probably do that. Bit help he is in a hi-vis vest at the front of a packed bus!

Hopefully once managers start dealing with the same problems they'll be a bit more voiceful in campaigning, assuming of course they haven't already negotiated special deals.

Are there not also staff busses in BNE and PER?

[myshoutcaptain]

PER (basket case) DOM and INT bus carparks , crew with pax. They built bus stops with angled entries and exits , why not the same for taxiways across the fence :ugh:

[blueys]

crew bus to opperate airside, security checks at car park or turminal is the answer

[ga_trojan]

As it is explained to me by my employer the problem lies with SACL as they won't play ball on the staff bus issue. I guess they think the increased bus service will mitigate any problems.

Both BNE and MEL have dedicated staff busses seperate from the general public. Don't know the reason why they do but Sydney doesn't. There is a staff bus for Intl at SYD from the Long Term just not the Domestic.

[Global Xpress]

So how is day 1?

[gutso-blundo]

No replies... Maybe they're all still trying to get back to their cars :p

[Global Xpress]

No replies... Maybe they're all still trying to get back to their cars :p

Haha probably true.

[Oktas8]

So how is day 1?

Hmm.
Staff #1 - used number 400 bus.
Staff #2 - train, Mascot station, Q crew bus from QCC to Terminal 3.
Staff #3 - train, Domestic station, didn't mind paying the platform fee.
Staff #4 - car, LT carpark, card didn't work, managed to get in after negotiation with carpark staff. Smooth sailing after that.
Staff #5-500 - don't know, didn't ask. I guess as per #4.

I think the whole problem will largely disappear when the train platform fee disappears, so using the train becomes affordable. That is likely to take at least several years though, as there are four parties involved - employer, SACL, station operator and state govt.

Cheers,
O8

[Biatch]

Super stoked that my 30min door to door travel to work time has now doubled to 1 hour... Awesome... And I live in the city!!! Yet to see any problems on the bus.... Although on my first ride I was quizzed by a 4 year old...

[nitpicker330]

Had ya stumped did he :E

[bddbism]

1st day today, as expected. Have to leave home 1.5hrs before sign on, what a joke. it takes longer to fly to Canberra and back!

[bddbism]

...shorter than canberra, that is.

[Biatch]

nitpicker330 Had ya stumped did he


Ahhh left myself open I did.... Ho ho ho...

/topic.... Seems as though 30mins is the safe time allowance... Another example how SAC haven't planned more than 5 mins ahead for the last 20 years...

[Metroboy]

Easy solution. Company can put the carpark wherever they like and provide whatever transport to the terminal they see fit. What they can't do is mess with rest periods. So on min rest if you miss or are waiting too long for the bus, call crewing and re adjust sign off time. A couple of lost trips and subsequent WDO call outs will make them sit up and take notice. If any manager keen to make a name for themselves tries to give you heat work with the union to ensure its brought to the attention of CASA. I'm sure it would arouse plenty of interest.

[ga_trojan]

Problem with that is sign on/off isn't at the carpark its at the terminal so any time waiting is on your time. I don't think there is any way you could have it considered as duty by CASA even though it is associated with work and your only means of getting to the terminal.

The major fatigue issue is for those who live a reasonable distance from the airport. If they want you to allow 30 mins for a bus followed by a 1 hour commute it starts becoming a bit of a fatigue issue. It would also limit where you can live and be employed at the airport as many airlines and the engineers only work daily shifts.

[bddbism]

Unfortunately we seem stuck between a rock and a hard place with commuting options. Whether you catch the train, park at long term or park at QCC and take the shuttle the time is roughy the same. With the train outrageously expensive there is no incentive to use PT either.

From CASA's point of view, is there any need for them to get involved in what is seemingly not a big issue? Yes, I agree there are huge fatigue problems but will it turn into a jetstar case of, 'not our problem. Manage your rest better if you're tired'

[Oktas8]

A couple of people have talked about < 28 minutes between buses, or allowing an extra 30 minutes to get to work. I'm not sure where that information comes from.

My employer told us that buses are scheduled to be 12 minutes apart. The SACL website (http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/go/car-parking/domestic/domestic-long-term.aspx) quotes "Buses depart every 10 - 15 minutes and the trip to the terminal takes about 8 minutes, depending on traffic conditions" which seems accurate in practice, at least at this stage.

It used to take me 25 minutes garage-to-crewroom, now it seems to take 35 - 40 minutes for the same. Hardly worth getting union / CASA involved I would have thought.

Dedicated crew bus would be nice though.

[diddly squat]

Just bend over and enjoy it, up to you if you provide your own lube, the big question is, "Is the lube tax deductible as you are still traveling to or from work, but not actually working, even though the employer makes you travel at work for an extra 56 mins. :D

[Oktas8]

an extra 56 mins

Reference?

[Oktas8]

My experience of 10-15 is the extra time it takes over the short term carpark option, total. Extra time on the bus in transit is offset by the time it used to take to drive up seven levels of carpark and walk down again.

Yes, I know, it's still an extra 20-30 minutes extra a day even with my numbers, which is annoying. I just hate the mindless exaggeration that seems to pervade some of these forums. This 28 minutes each way thing for example. Why not just stick to the verifiable facts and let them speak for themselves?

Wasting my breath no doubt. Hat, coat, door.

[ga_trojan]

My experience of 10-15 is the extra time it takes over the short term carpark option, total. Extra time on the bus in transit is offset by the time it used to take to drive up seven levels of carpark and walk down again.

That would depend of which part of Sydney you are inbound from. If you are coming from the Northern side of the airport, the long term car park is a nightmare, as you have to drive the perimeter road (which in peak hour can take at least 10mins in itself) then get in the car park; then wait for the bus; then drive back along the same perimeter road again as opposed to just pulling up in the short term car park and driving up a few levels. Those inbound from the West and or South it's not too bad as you turn off General Holmes straight into the long term anyway.