Qantas Ramps for Hobart Airport

[Rotor Work]

From ABC

Qantas replaces stairs with ramps in Hobart to speed up boarding - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-12/qantas-replaces-boarding-stairs-with-ramps/5963884?section=tas)

Qantas replaces stairs with ramps in Hobart to speed up boarding

Updated about 2 hours agoFri 12 Dec 2014, 4:27pm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/5963944-3x2-340x227.jpg (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-12/image1jpg/5963986) Photo: Passengers disembark from a Qantas 717 at Hobart airport via the airlines new ramp system. (ABC News: Fiona Blackwood) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-12/image1jpg/5963986)
Map: Hobart 7000 (http://maps.google.com/?q=-42.8847,147.3303%28Hobart%207000%29&z=5)

Qantas has replaced boarding stairs with a ramp at Hobart airport to reduce the time it takes passengers to enter and disembark from planes.
In an Australian first, the new ramp is being used for Qantas Boeing 717 flights in Tasmania.
Qantas replaced turbo-prop plane services to Hobart with the 717 jets earlier this year.
The ramp was designed to improve the efficiency of boarding and disembarking, as well as to provide better access for passengers with mobility problems.
Qantas officials said the ramps cut back on time because all passengers used the same method of boarding, and staff did not have to ask people with special needs to wait until last.
QantasLink CEO John Gissing said the ramp would improve the experience for all passengers.
"Not only will it improve the customer experience by making it easier for all customers to board and disembark, it will improve our on time performance by making the boarding process quicker," he said.
A Qantas spokeswoman said the airline hoped to roll the ramps out to other airports in the country in the near future.
She said while the ramps were tailored for the Boeing 717, Qantas would be making them available for other airliners.

[Cargo744]

WOW! what a revolution... must be a Tassie thing

[Backtoscratch]

JQ have been using something similar in MEL for a while now, I think at gate 27?

Also I'm sure one of the QLink outports in NSW does something similar.

[Gear in transit]

Only been utilised by Hawaiian since ohhh the start of their 717 op!

Revelation indeed!

Backtoscratch, don't think that JQ ramp has been used yet! Something about the wheelchairs not being able to turn...... Best $450k they've spent yet!

[TBM-Legend]

Ever heard of aerobridges in Tassie?? All weather protection for the punters etc..

[Southern handler]

the "Q ramps'' for the dash 8's have only been trialed so far

[LeeJoyce]

There's an aviramp on B25 in Melbourne

It's never been used and now forgotten about, it's useless for the move next year, year after anyway as there is no space at the new terminal

The thing is so big the had to tow it on the taxiway to get it to the gate

[growahead]

Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, a third world country, has aerobridges. Hobart has punters walking the best part of 100 metres in all weather, including wet and windy winter nights. Still no taxiways to the thresholds, requiring backtracking on every departure, and most arrivals. Privatised airports are a disgrace, run by car park operators and shop landlords.

[TBM-Legend]

re above:

:D:D:D:D

Australia in the 21st Century re infrastructure...bits and pieces OK but no grand plan to make things really hum for the citizens and valuable tourist dollar..:ouch:

[PLovett]

Privatised airports are a disgrace, run by car park operators and shop landlords.

@growahead

Talk to the airlines about not wanting aerobridges. It is all to do with not having to put tugs and the associated trained staff in place rather than the airport operators, who, I will agree, don't want to spend money either.

[Packvalve]

Aerobridges in Hobart....really?
Granted, it is a bit invigorating in winter, but it is the second driest Capital City in Australia! - If there's anywhere in Australia that should be embarrassed about no aerobridges, then the Gold Coast takes the cake!! Especially when you take into account the amount of pax that pass through it!!

[On Track]

Growahead, it's no better at Queenstown (NZ).

No aerobridges, no taxiway to the thresholds for anything above 5700kg, no proper parking or tie-down facilities for aircraft below 5700kg, and a history of expropriating airside land for non-aviation purposes.

[ACMS]

Ahhh what's the rush, nothing like the good old days of walking on Tarmac and soaking up the Aviation atmosphere....:ok:

Don't be in a hurry to lock everyone indoors.....:sad:

Besides how will the Captain be able to check out the talent?

[Capn Bloggs]

Besides how will the Captain be able to check out the talent?
"Hold the checklist! Target 1100 low and closing!" := :D

[Bumpfoh]

Qantas replaced turbo-prop plane services to Hobart with the 717 jets earlier this year.

Really?

Didn't know that 737 I work on is a turbo-prop!:ugh::ugh:

[Buckshot]

They'll need more than a fancy set of stairs to improve their OTP

[jolihokistix]

Hobart, one of the few places where you can step back in time and board a plane as they must have done in the 1930s. :D

For me this improved my 'customer experience' no end. Loved every minute of it. :ok:

Don't mess with that, there's no going back! Innocence lost. :mad:

Stairs to ramp only? Well, OK... Just that is permissible. :ok:

[underfire]

Not sure what is worse, that ramp or the 717.....

[Fantome]

IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS YOU HAD ANA then Ansett servicing Hobart with their Douglas DC-3s. . . . . also Tataas -

http://www.adastron.com/aviation/vault/DC-3-steps.jpg (http://www.pprune.org/pacific-general-aviation-questions/390483-dc-3-steps-wanted.html)

[Falling Leaf]

While a lot of regional airports probably don't merit aero-bridge's, they should at least invest in a covered walkway! Hobart is a prime example where the punters do a 100 m stretch past the large advertising banner, out in the elements. Would have thought they could afford a covered walkway for at least half the journey...

[Capt Claret]

I wonder if Hobart being the second driest capital city in the county might have anything to do with the facilities provided?

[Capn Bloggs]

I wonder if Hobart being the second driest capital city in the county might have anything to do with the facilities provided?
17° and blowing a gale, and 9mm of rain in the last 12 hours.

Good one, Clarrie! :D

[Capt Claret]

A bit selective there Bloggs in your stats. Don't you think?


ADL, 546 mm - pop 1,263,888
HBA 569 mm, pop 206,560
CBR 597 mm, pop 418,856
MEL 603 mm, pop 4,181,021
PER 725 mm, pop 1,901,582


With bugger all population to support the infrastructure, and bugger all rain, it's not surprising that no one wants to stump up the dollars to provide aerobridges. Good heavens, it's not all that long ago that ADL didn't have them.

[cloudsurfng]

Won't be needing the ramps for too long;)

[Buckshot]

Won't be needing the ramps for too long

Oh c'mon don't leave us hanging! Put the R back in PPRuNe!

[cloudsurfng]

The 717 won't be flying to hba from 2017.

[Backtoscratch]

Not long after they set up a new Pilot and Cabin Crew base there? It's QLink ADL/CBR/PER all over again...

Any more info you can divulge?

[Capt Claret]

The 717 won't be flying to hba from 2017.

And in '95 I was advised not to join NJS as they were absolutely going to lose the Airlink (Qantaslink) contract. :rolleyes:

[cloudsurfng]

Contracts come, contracts go. time will tell. I know which way I'm backing. So would anyone else who has listened to the new Qf Dom ceo.

[aueb]

cloudsurfing,

Why don't you enlighten us?