View Full Version : 2nd half of the Hajj, chaos ensures ...
18-Wheeler
15th Feb 2003, 05:01
The first day of the second half of the Hajj yesterday, and there was quite a few delays.
We were flying for Saudia, and got away about three hours after the initial scheduled ETD.
Got turned around in Muscat just fine, but on arrival back in Jeddah they had no idea where to put us, so - I'm not joking!!! - it took us one hour and twenty-eight minutes to finally get a park. They had us blocking the entrance to the Hajj apron for a good thirty minutes before moving us out of the way as well.
98 mins, that my new holding record!
The funny thing is that as a joke when we were holding at the Hajj apron, I said to the other crew, "minimum divert fuel to the domestic apron is 800 kilograms." Turns out that if we'd landed with geniune minimum fuel (six tonnes) we really would have run out of fuel before making the parking bay ....
So how is everyone else going with the delays?
divingduck
15th Feb 2003, 08:43
hey 18 wheeler...
at least now we can use 10 minutes longitudinal sep through bahrains airspace! (instead of that ridiculous 15 minutes)
Means we can fit in 50% more traffic....can't do much about the ground parking though..
Talk to you on the east side of the OBBI boundary
cheers
kimoki
15th Feb 2003, 09:16
10 mins separation in Bahrain? I don't think so. They will apply 10 mins at the request of Jeddah however for the next FIR.
Hand Solo
15th Feb 2003, 16:34
One hour twenty eight minutes to get a parking stand? Sounds like a normal morning at Heathrow Terminal 4!:D
Taildragger
16th Feb 2003, 19:01
18 Wheeler..... he he he. Sounds like it's time to open phase two of the Haj Terminal, which is at present populated by The Nigerian contingent.!!
You don't say what you were flying, but 747's or 777's are restricted to the Terminal Jetty positions. The one way taxiway would most likely have routed you past several available positions, but not suitable for large widebodies.
Were you flying for SV or chartered to them.?? Just interested who is flying in this year.
Ahhhhhhh Haj.!! I DO miss it.!
With 18 Wheels, i would guess that he is flying the Air Atlanta B747 which was contracted into Saudia at the end of the inbound Hadj.
Mutt.
18-Wheeler
17th Feb 2003, 03:09
Yes, I either fly a 747 or drive a large truck - In any case, I move a lot of people/freight around in the one machine! :D
Lu Zuckerman
17th Feb 2003, 13:13
Here is a story that may not be typical but it makes me wonder why airlines want to get involved in the Haj.
While working in Iran I met a senior flight attendant from Lufthansa. She related a story about one trip she was on. The passengers based on their status had to scrimp and save for the fare. They were not well educated and had no idea as how to use the toilets making them almost useless halfway into the flight. She indicated that some of the passengers went to the rear of the aircraft and did their business on the floor. Some even tried to light fires to make tea and some had small animals (sheep) for sacrifice at the Haj. My friend said the stench was so great that the cabin crew had to go on oxygen. On the return trip to Frankfurt they had to completely strip the interior to perform cleaning and anti corrosion in the bilges and they had to steam clean the toilets.
I would assume that the corrective maintenance costs far exceeded the revenue for the flight.
:confused:
18-Wheeler
17th Feb 2003, 17:12
I have heard of 'Hajj Kits' for the interior of the plane. It's basically a coccoon for the toilets, etc, so they can be hosed out & the like.
javelin
17th Feb 2003, 19:54
Much depends where you are operating from/to. When I did phase 2 taking pilgrims back down to Indonesia a couple of years ago, the cabin was cleaner at the end of a flight than most of our long haul Florida flights ! Also after 5 weeks down route, the aircraft was spotless and in better mechanical state than when it went down there :O
crackerjack
18th Feb 2003, 20:20
I agree with Javelin, in my experience, Hadj pax out of Indonesia are polite, spotlessly clean and a make a great deal less mess in the cabin on an 11hr sector than so called 'civilised' pax on a 4hr Canaries flight.
Taildragger
18th Feb 2003, 20:53
Javelin, I can but agree with you. having had personal experience over a number of years, I haven't seen the interior better or worse than any other....except the toilets could be a wee wee bit untidy.!! I handled all sorts of carriers over a few years, and have to hand it to our own BA who operated in with a kit in the bog, which had the thingydoo covered with chipboard and a pair of feet stenciled on it. The message was unmistakable, and where the Bod/Bodess missed the 'ole, it was easily hosed down. The profits my friends, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far outweighed the inconvenience, I can assure you. It kept us all eating.!! (In some case from broast stalls in the Haj terminal.!!)
Chias
GlueBall
19th Feb 2003, 18:05
The Indonesian Hadj was always the best. (Kano the worst). Didn't matter whether it was out of Medan or Jakarta. Once I had stood in an aisle, and the Pilgrims, small in stature, could hardly be seen in their seats. They were always quiet and well behaved, and they had never made a fuss about delays or other material inconveniences. :ok:
Engineer
21st Feb 2003, 12:24
:eek: Most be one of the lucky ones only delays so far are the standard two hours for the baggage builds early
But days yet :p
Look on the bright side you are at least getting paid...... you were brought in to replace another airline who didnt get their act together, unfortunately they did manage to fly in around 100 crewmembers who are presently stranded in a Jeddah hotel.
Engineer, are you operating 9L-LDL?? If so what happened out of Shiraz?
Mutt.
FE Hoppy
24th Feb 2003, 22:43
Rather glad I'm not involved this year. Sounds like it's a real circus. Hear there is bad stuff going on for the L1011 crews.
Engineer
25th Feb 2003, 12:23
mutt
Not me still waiting to find out As for the L1011s appear to be out of Amman and Lisbon well that from the crews staying in this Hotel
Whiskery
2nd Mar 2003, 11:12
Just got back.
The Hajj always has been and always will be the best fun in aviation. Having said that - I will clarify with a proviso!
"It only lasts for two (2) months of the year !"
I'll be back again next year.
El Desperado
5th Mar 2003, 18:37
2 hours waiting for a stand at the end of Phase 1 - priority to the big stuff... you've got a 777 or 747, A330 or DC-10.. you're in. Puny 767... hah :)
Got to agree - the Hajj is a fantastic experience (every year !), and if you're operating out of Indonesia then your pax are the friendliest, cleanest, most co-operative people you will ever, ever fly with. Give me this to a night IBZ, anytime....
It's much more chilled out now - the slot times are easy to make, the ramp is deserted, and the immigration guys have got fed up of making our lives miserable and slow.
If you get the chance... do it :)
"Mumbai, Mumbai....... <silence>"