Panic buttons for airports
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Panic buttons for airports
Sat "Herald Sun"
Panic buttons for airports
John Masanauskas, aviation reporter
20nov04
QANTAS will provide panic buttons for all check-in staff after a successful security trial at Melbourne airport.
The trial started in May after complaints from frontline airline workers about growing "ground rage" at airports.
Panic or distress buttons were installed in Qantas's Melbourne domestic terminal and guards hired to deal with any disturbances.
A Qantas spokesman said yesterday that the measures would be extended to all domestic and international airports used by the airline.
"These are part of Qantas's commitment to maintain a safe working environment for staff," he said.
Qantas wouldn't divulge detailed results from the trial, but the spokesman said the number of incidents requiring intervention by security staff was minimal.
Australian Services Union national secretary Linda White said Qantas had significantly improved security since a 2003 union survey, which showed airline workers were regularly threatened and assaulted by abusive passengers.
Ms White called on other airlines to introduce similar measures and said aviation authorities should launch a central register of ground-rage incidents.
"Nobody keeps those statistics and that's outrageous," she said.
Security at airports and on aircraft has been considerably tightened since the 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.
Victorian union official Maurice Addison faces a charge after he allegedly joked about a bomb while boarding a Qantas flight.
And media celebrity Rex Hunt was questioned by police after smuggling 10 metal forks aboard a Qantas flight in May. Hunt, who was not charged, said it was a prank to highlight problems with security.
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Panic buttons for airports
John Masanauskas, aviation reporter
20nov04
QANTAS will provide panic buttons for all check-in staff after a successful security trial at Melbourne airport.
The trial started in May after complaints from frontline airline workers about growing "ground rage" at airports.
Panic or distress buttons were installed in Qantas's Melbourne domestic terminal and guards hired to deal with any disturbances.
A Qantas spokesman said yesterday that the measures would be extended to all domestic and international airports used by the airline.
"These are part of Qantas's commitment to maintain a safe working environment for staff," he said.
Qantas wouldn't divulge detailed results from the trial, but the spokesman said the number of incidents requiring intervention by security staff was minimal.
Australian Services Union national secretary Linda White said Qantas had significantly improved security since a 2003 union survey, which showed airline workers were regularly threatened and assaulted by abusive passengers.
Ms White called on other airlines to introduce similar measures and said aviation authorities should launch a central register of ground-rage incidents.
"Nobody keeps those statistics and that's outrageous," she said.
Security at airports and on aircraft has been considerably tightened since the 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.
Victorian union official Maurice Addison faces a charge after he allegedly joked about a bomb while boarding a Qantas flight.
And media celebrity Rex Hunt was questioned by police after smuggling 10 metal forks aboard a Qantas flight in May. Hunt, who was not charged, said it was a prank to highlight problems with security.
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Yes, why not? It relieves the counter staff of any burden to be polite to customers or attempt to solve any of their trivial or mundane problems. One size fits all, you don't like it fella? Then p*** off!
Lets also make people line up silently and stand to attention when they speak to ground staff. We could also employ some bouncers to throw out trouble makers who ask for upgrades, talk in the queue, wear tropical shirts, complain about delays, ask for window seats, etc.
How dare the travelling public think they have any rights. After all, we are doing them a favour be carrying them at all.
Once travelling by air used to be a pleasure, now it is something to be endured. See the Sydney airport taxi thread
Lets also make people line up silently and stand to attention when they speak to ground staff. We could also employ some bouncers to throw out trouble makers who ask for upgrades, talk in the queue, wear tropical shirts, complain about delays, ask for window seats, etc.
How dare the travelling public think they have any rights. After all, we are doing them a favour be carrying them at all.
Once travelling by air used to be a pleasure, now it is something to be endured. See the Sydney airport taxi thread
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Yep! A panic button really would have been useful for check-in staff with Rex Hunt and Maurice Addison. A Taser would have been better.
"Don't panic Capt. Mannering. Don't panic!"
Jamming an aircraft consistently with higher than 70-80% load factors, making pax sit/stand around in overcrowded terminals at least 30 minutes prior to departure time, which is subsequently delayed, treating them like cattle and it's no wonder some passengers get irate. Sign of the times.
"Don't panic Capt. Mannering. Don't panic!"
Jamming an aircraft consistently with higher than 70-80% load factors, making pax sit/stand around in overcrowded terminals at least 30 minutes prior to departure time, which is subsequently delayed, treating them like cattle and it's no wonder some passengers get irate. Sign of the times.
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PAN AM used to treat passengers as though they were doing them a favour by allowing passengers on PAN AM.
Does this sound similar to a current trend in a particular airline?
Does this sound similar to a current trend in a particular airline?
QF Suck
Being a platinum FF with Quantass matters for nothing.
I get upgraded on airlines I hardly ever fly with - like Cathay, British and Malaysian. Cathay and British acknowledge the One World Status - Malaysian upgrade any full fare ticket.
I now actively avoid doing any cross pacific work with QF.
I can't be the only one. All the expats avoid it like the plague. Planes are too full - you never get a decent seat because some tourist booked it 5 months ago on a ticket of half the value.
Plus almost every staff member you meet, thinks that you are a pest not a paypacket.
F*&K EM
I get upgraded on airlines I hardly ever fly with - like Cathay, British and Malaysian. Cathay and British acknowledge the One World Status - Malaysian upgrade any full fare ticket.
I now actively avoid doing any cross pacific work with QF.
I can't be the only one. All the expats avoid it like the plague. Planes are too full - you never get a decent seat because some tourist booked it 5 months ago on a ticket of half the value.
Plus almost every staff member you meet, thinks that you are a pest not a paypacket.
F*&K EM
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"Oh really sir?...... how dreadful...... aweful..... goodness.... no that's really not acceptable.......bzzzzzzz ...... oh no do go on...... we were how late?.......bzzzzz bzzzzz....... yes you really ought to be treated better...... yes sir we are the Australian Airline...... bzzzz bzzzz bzzzzz .... yes we do charge excess luggage fees to everyone....bzzzz bzzzz bzzzz bzzzzzz......"
bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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I just hope it won't be used as a case of "beauty in the eye of the beholder"... 
But I guess that anything's possible when you have the majority of the pax traffic! 
But I guess that anything's possible when you have the majority of the pax traffic!
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So what happens when a staffer hits the aforementioned 'panic button?' A squad of stormtroopers armed with M16s appear from nowhere and surround the alleged miscreant?? (Tongue firmly in cheek) Or a Federal Police officer appears and politely requests said miscreant to accompany him/her for a little chat?
You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.
You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.
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One Ball... tend to agree with you on certain types of pax... however some airlines' cabin attendants have better control (not as in "freak") of the cabin. I've seen many instances of them asking pax to "behave" so to speak... CA's were trained to do it and were not worried about the do gooders back in Head Office marketing, who have no idea - at times.
Yes, I used to work in an airline Head Office!
Yes, I used to work in an airline Head Office!
Yes No Balls sweety, You are obviously forgetting that you have been given a licence to run an RPT operation in this country. But of course Qantas is above the law.
While we all know that CASA looks the other way when it comes to enforcing the terms of that licence, it takes someone like you to have a go.
For example, where does it say that an RPT operator is allowed to cancel a flight at will?
While the Act may have been amended since the days that little Sunfish read it, I understood that the 4.00pm from Sydney to Melbourne was supposed to fly whether it had 2 pax or 100 pax.
I for one am sick of flights being cancelled for "operational reasons" = load factor not high enough.
Translation= You are supposed to run an RPT operation. You do not run an RPT operation under the act. Why the F*&^ should the public put up with you? Wouldn't we be better off without Qantas? Please explain?
While we all know that CASA looks the other way when it comes to enforcing the terms of that licence, it takes someone like you to have a go.
For example, where does it say that an RPT operator is allowed to cancel a flight at will?
While the Act may have been amended since the days that little Sunfish read it, I understood that the 4.00pm from Sydney to Melbourne was supposed to fly whether it had 2 pax or 100 pax.
I for one am sick of flights being cancelled for "operational reasons" = load factor not high enough.
Translation= You are supposed to run an RPT operation. You do not run an RPT operation under the act. Why the F*&^ should the public put up with you? Wouldn't we be better off without Qantas? Please explain?
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Sunfish, where does it say that an operator is not allowed to cancel a service, be it for whatever reason? What act are you talking about? I thought we have an open skies policy in domestic flying these days?
Whilst I agree with most sentiments on this thread about the rat, and I do work for 'em, your last post is just a little over the top, Sunny.
Whilst I agree with most sentiments on this thread about the rat, and I do work for 'em, your last post is just a little over the top, Sunny.
Ahem, please don't bite my head off but:The licences are for REGULAR PUBLIC TRANSPORT (RPT) just like a bus service.
The accent is on "Regular" ie scheduled as in "The 4.53 from Frankston" ie. like a bus line.
Airlines are also licenced, as in the Government gives the airline a licence to run an RPT operation offering to transport members of the great unwashed, hoi polloi, tracky dacked, mullet coiffed general public.
Unless the Act and licence conditions have been changed (which they may be by now), the terms of the licence say you will have a schedule of flights and you will abide by that schedule. In other words, the 4.30 MEL_SYD flight is supposed to leave at 4.30 as per schedule, or as close as conveniently possible. Again just like a bus service.
However many moons ago the Government decided to turn a blind eye to what was then called (I think) "demand management" (or some such euphemism) whereby operators would simply cancel fliights where the load was not high enough to make money and reallocate the passengers to other (later) flights.
Its most inconvenient when it happens to you. How would you like it if your bus driver said "I'm not leaving till the bus is full?" all the time?
My little dig at Ballsy was about his idea that airlines are doing some people a favour. They are not. Airlines like Qantas have been given a public licence and therefore have no choice but to carry what turns up at the airport provided it has the money to pay for the ticket.
The days when airlines were only for the carriage trade are long gone.
The accent is on "Regular" ie scheduled as in "The 4.53 from Frankston" ie. like a bus line.
Airlines are also licenced, as in the Government gives the airline a licence to run an RPT operation offering to transport members of the great unwashed, hoi polloi, tracky dacked, mullet coiffed general public.
Unless the Act and licence conditions have been changed (which they may be by now), the terms of the licence say you will have a schedule of flights and you will abide by that schedule. In other words, the 4.30 MEL_SYD flight is supposed to leave at 4.30 as per schedule, or as close as conveniently possible. Again just like a bus service.
However many moons ago the Government decided to turn a blind eye to what was then called (I think) "demand management" (or some such euphemism) whereby operators would simply cancel fliights where the load was not high enough to make money and reallocate the passengers to other (later) flights.
Its most inconvenient when it happens to you. How would you like it if your bus driver said "I'm not leaving till the bus is full?" all the time?
My little dig at Ballsy was about his idea that airlines are doing some people a favour. They are not. Airlines like Qantas have been given a public licence and therefore have no choice but to carry what turns up at the airport provided it has the money to pay for the ticket.
The days when airlines were only for the carriage trade are long gone.
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The world has changed just a tad, sunny. I'm pretty sure the legislation has, too.
Now, firstly, RPT Airlines ain't a bus service. Your example of "the flight should go whether there are 2 or 100 on board" just doesn't make sense.
I don't have to tell you of the turmoil that Ansett's demise had on jobs in aviation. Now, if we apply your policy then that airline WILL go broke, and quickly. It might have been OK when government backing was around, but those days are over.
I have a feeling that your point is directed toward yield management, rather than simply cancelling flights. Schedules need to be arranged better in order to ensure that cancellations due to low yields dont happen.
But you sure as hell can't legislate for it....
Now, firstly, RPT Airlines ain't a bus service. Your example of "the flight should go whether there are 2 or 100 on board" just doesn't make sense.
I don't have to tell you of the turmoil that Ansett's demise had on jobs in aviation. Now, if we apply your policy then that airline WILL go broke, and quickly. It might have been OK when government backing was around, but those days are over.
I have a feeling that your point is directed toward yield management, rather than simply cancelling flights. Schedules need to be arranged better in order to ensure that cancellations due to low yields dont happen.
But you sure as hell can't legislate for it....
Cacky, thanks, "Yield management" is the correct term. It would be interesting to see if the Act has been amended, because yield management used to be technically illegal under it.
