Crew lane for arriving crew, not!
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I have to say that outbound at the x-ray machine, I make a point of saying "excuse me" to the pax I cut in front of, and if he looks like he understands Strine, I make a comment about our trying to get to the aircraft in time to get his flight away on time. Even if he's not on our flight, it usually gets a good reaction, even from the Non-Strine speakers I can only say "excuse me" to.
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whichever group owns the airport will want money for providing a separate crew channel...
I don't see why, because I would have thought the channel could be intergrated into the Tensa Barrier maze, without any major structural work. One AQIS X ray could be dedicated to the cause. The setup of the Customs hall is primarily the responsibility of Customs and AQIS, and occupied by the government rent free under an annoying (for the airport operator) section of the Customs Act.
What do New Zealand do? They are one of the few countries with as restrictive quarantine regulations as us, do they have crew processing?
There is no point in comparing the wave through in Asia and Europe as they have little reason to care about your animal / plant materials unless your bag content is actually kicking and trying to bite people.
Asian airports make Australian airports look like tin sheds
True, for some. Others look like, well, tin sheds. New Delhi springs to mind, and on the other topic, they provided two rather geriatric baggage handlers for a fully loaded 777 and another heavy arrival. I know, because I got so bored waiting for my stuff that I went and looked through the window at the "help" desk. One got the feeling that elephants were still a vital part of the baggage system.
I agree with you totally about having a dedicated channel, crew are generally a low risk (and those who aren't can be easily diverted) and just clutter up the place when it's busy. I would have thought that getting 'em out the door made sense from both an enforcement and (crew) client relations perspective.
At the end of the day, you won't get it if you don't nag, ie your employers, your unions, the government and the airports. Get writing!
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Just Imagine
......If the 9 to 5 groundhogs had to spend an extra hour and a half getting out the front door after they had finished work and ceased being paid.
I imagine that the problem would be rectified in a nano second.
As for crew rest seats...rest is an oxymoron.
Comfortable they are not.
Ten hours on an A330 during a day sector is not a nice day.Its even worse on a 200 as there is no mid cabin crossover.
Howard Hughes...you and Billy Connolly should team up.You are way more amusing than he is
I imagine that the problem would be rectified in a nano second.
As for crew rest seats...rest is an oxymoron.
Comfortable they are not.
Ten hours on an A330 during a day sector is not a nice day.Its even worse on a 200 as there is no mid cabin crossover.
Howard Hughes...you and Billy Connolly should team up.You are way more amusing than he is
Last edited by packrat; 29th Jan 2009 at 08:43.
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Worrals in the wilds...
You're right about it going nowhere unless crew start writing to the company,the union and anyone else who will listen.
The problem is that it will cost money because the machine you mention will have to come from somewhere..unless you know of one that has fallen off the back of a truck.
Then of course it will need an operator or two...then there is the customs officer to clear you after you have been screened.All of that is not free and someone will have to pay.
Customs and AQIS do not have spare staff standing around idle during the peak times....
packrat is right as well....Can you imagine the office dwellers starting work not at 9 am or 8.30 am but at 3 am or so and when finishing at 5 pm have to wait in line an hour or more to get out of the building before they even start to walk to the train station or bus stop?
You're right about it going nowhere unless crew start writing to the company,the union and anyone else who will listen.
The problem is that it will cost money because the machine you mention will have to come from somewhere..unless you know of one that has fallen off the back of a truck.
Then of course it will need an operator or two...then there is the customs officer to clear you after you have been screened.All of that is not free and someone will have to pay.
Customs and AQIS do not have spare staff standing around idle during the peak times....
packrat is right as well....Can you imagine the office dwellers starting work not at 9 am or 8.30 am but at 3 am or so and when finishing at 5 pm have to wait in line an hour or more to get out of the building before they even start to walk to the train station or bus stop?
Hang on. Where's the cost in keeping an unmanned lane closed with a sign saying, "Crew only", then when we present at the barrier, the nearest AQIS officer temporarily halts the lane he/she is working on and comes over to check us through to one of the x-ray machines already in use. No additional or dedicated staff and no additional or dedicated x-ray machine for crew, just efficient use of staff & equipment.
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Lowerlobe, I know of a few that should have fallen off the back of trucks... some of the old machines were flat out spotting an M-16 in a pillow... 
Of course, there is always a cost. Extra staffing by the border agencies is not going to happen without a fight (reference first post). However, the airports I am familiar with rarely have all AQIS machines in use at once. Crew are not generally difficult to process, being non-simian, aware of the regs and amenable to loading their own bags. Therefore, it could be done (and was done until kyboshed) with one or two AQIS or ACS.
Qanchor, the only prob with stopping a lane for crew (which used to happen at Immigration, dunno if it still does) or queue jumping them is that it creates civil unrest among the pax. Various people have posted about the preceived 'special treatment' of crew which is not generally an argument I buy, but closing a pax queue to process crew is not a good look for either the crew or the border agencies. It would be better to have a separate machine staffed by a floater with the magic caveat... Subject to Operational Requirements, ie, no staff, no crew queue.
Of course, there is always a cost. Extra staffing by the border agencies is not going to happen without a fight (reference first post). However, the airports I am familiar with rarely have all AQIS machines in use at once. Crew are not generally difficult to process, being non-simian, aware of the regs and amenable to loading their own bags. Therefore, it could be done (and was done until kyboshed) with one or two AQIS or ACS.
Qanchor, the only prob with stopping a lane for crew (which used to happen at Immigration, dunno if it still does) or queue jumping them is that it creates civil unrest among the pax. Various people have posted about the preceived 'special treatment' of crew which is not generally an argument I buy, but closing a pax queue to process crew is not a good look for either the crew or the border agencies. It would be better to have a separate machine staffed by a floater with the magic caveat... Subject to Operational Requirements, ie, no staff, no crew queue.
Last edited by Worrals in the wilds; 29th Jan 2009 at 13:10.
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The whole crux of this within Oz seems to be the "you're no damn better than anyone else" principle which is common throughout society here. It's all related to "Tall Poppies" and so on.
Unfortunately the principle is twisted and skewed far too frequently and ends up preventing people for whom the duty hours, overtime, and/or departure time clock is ticking efficiently getting to and from their workplace.
Regrettably Customs and Quarantine often subscribe to this too. And Security almost always do despite the alleged "crew lanes" and crew signs! I confess to having on occasion let out loud a few wry comments about how unfortunate it is that this extra time is going to cost the airline more money, which will in turn be added to the ticket price, or delay their arrival at their destination. It's amazing how many passengers get out of your way then.
Unfortunately the principle is twisted and skewed far too frequently and ends up preventing people for whom the duty hours, overtime, and/or departure time clock is ticking efficiently getting to and from their workplace.
Regrettably Customs and Quarantine often subscribe to this too. And Security almost always do despite the alleged "crew lanes" and crew signs! I confess to having on occasion let out loud a few wry comments about how unfortunate it is that this extra time is going to cost the airline more money, which will in turn be added to the ticket price, or delay their arrival at their destination. It's amazing how many passengers get out of your way then.
Last edited by DutchRoll; 29th Jan 2009 at 23:43.
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just efficient use of staff.
DutchRoll...You hit the nail on the head...
How many times do we hear of a Frequent flyer whinge and moan to us that because of an aircraft delay they are now going to be disadvantaged and will miss a meeting or whatever and this will cost them money?
Now if the same is said to them as crew are trying to get to an aircraft to be able to have an on time departure it's a different matter...
If those same people after leaving their desk had to wait in a line for more than an hour before they could leave the building they would hit the roof....
Apart from the tall poppy syndrome I think the other issue is that we are living in the 'ME' era.It's all about 'Me' and how something is going to affect 'Me' and this also created the era of lack of personal responsibility.....
"Look there's water or something on the floor....I could have slipped...You've caused me stress and anxiety....I'm going to sue you".
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Don't waste your time telling the airline about this.Do you reckon the company will do anything.
Boys and Girls do the opposite and just find a cosy spot on the floor somewhere and have a nap if the line is too long.If anyone tries to move you tell em your fatigued and feel like your going to fall over any minute.
After a couple of pax take photos with their phones and send em to the papers the airline will want to talk with us.
Boys and Girls do the opposite and just find a cosy spot on the floor somewhere and have a nap if the line is too long.If anyone tries to move you tell em your fatigued and feel like your going to fall over any minute.
After a couple of pax take photos with their phones and send em to the papers the airline will want to talk with us.
Mr Hughes: In CX our Australian flights take about 9 hours, mostly through the night. The cockpit crew do NOT have any bunks in the A330. They get a maximum of 2.3 hours rest in a J class seat. The Cabin crew are lucky to get 2 hrs rest in a Y class seat. ( sometimes seats are not available for the cabin crew to use)
All the crew are on DUTY for 10+ hrs THROUGH THE NIGHT.
The ONLY airports in the world I go to that are a pain in the ass getting out of ( after arrival ) are in AUSTRALIA.
Yes, we should get priority or a dedicated channel, my F
oath
All the crew are on DUTY for 10+ hrs THROUGH THE NIGHT.
The ONLY airports in the world I go to that are a pain in the ass getting out of ( after arrival ) are in AUSTRALIA.
Yes, we should get priority or a dedicated channel, my F
oath
Working for EK, we have many layovers in 1st/2nd and 3rd world countries. Almost all have crew channels. Without a doubt, the Australian entry process is the most painful and embarrassing. Not only do they have no recognition that we have worked all night, we are usually treated with open hostility. As an Aussie, I am both personally and professionally embarrassed when arriving in Aus, and the crew, if new , all ask "why are they like this??'. Even Bangladesh, one of the worlds poorest countries, is so superior as to be beyond comparison. Why? I believe it to be the classic tall poppy syndrome, at which we Aussies unfortunately excel. It is more than just $$$, it is ATTITUDE. 
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BAC
Totally Great Idea!
Brisbane Airports Corporation. There are a more than a few words that come to mind to describe them, but not too many that do not need to be cen$ored.
Brisbane Airports Corporation. There are a more than a few words that come to mind to describe them, but not too many that do not need to be cen$ored.
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Originally posted by Twiggs
Originally posted by Howard Hughes
After reading some of the above post Howard ,I think you might be able to see that it is just not the view of qantas crew and that some other posts are not that balanced.
It is really a disgrace and as some are saying,it is probably the old Australian affliction,the Tall poppy syndrome.
I'm struggling to think of somewhere else in the world that there is a dedicated lane for crew to clear customs/quarantine.
Thanks for that balanced view Twiggs, it would appear that things are not all bad
It is really a disgrace and as some are saying,it is probably the old Australian affliction,the Tall poppy syndrome.
ACMS, totally agree with you and many others. Sydney airport is owned partly by me 
yes I am a small shareholder in Macquarie Airports. I suggest like me we ring them up on 612 82329634 or fax 61282324713 and ask them as" customers" that we would like them to consider a dedicated crew lane into Australia at Sydney, after all they make heaps of money out of that place.
yes I am a small shareholder in Macquarie Airports. I suggest like me we ring them up on 612 82329634 or fax 61282324713 and ask them as" customers" that we would like them to consider a dedicated crew lane into Australia at Sydney, after all they make heaps of money out of that place.
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Farrari,
if you do call, the reply they will probably give is that there already is a dedicated crew lane in Sydney.
The problem seems to be that not many foreign crew know about it.
I am talking about arriving through exits A/B (gates 8-37), which is where we exclusively exit, so I'm not sure if it's the same when you exit from C/D (50-63).
I agree about that the attitude of the AQIS staff in Australia in that they don't seem very keen to point crew in the right direction, and are happy to see them wait when they may not need to.
I have not had this experience in Sydney in the past few months although I know exactly where to go now to expedite my exit and I have found the AQIS staff reasonable helpful there.
A few months ago our crew waited a long time in a snaking queue at Perth quarantine.
Brisbane and Melbourne have also had similar delays.
I have waited on the crew bus for up to an hour for one or two crew who have items to declare, and that is where the system is falling down for us.
I agree with clear to land in that I have been very embarassed by the behaviour of the ACS and AQIS staff to foreign crew and passengers.
The attitude that "everyone should know how it works in Australia and you are somehow an inconvenience if you don't", is very prevalent.
The way they "talk down" to people who's first language is not english, is disgusting sometimes.
They don't have a monopoly on this attitude, some security screening staff demonstrate this behaviour as well.
I would suggest that for foreign crews arriving in Australia, the captain approach the AQIS or ACS staff and ask them where they should go to make their exit as efficient as possible.
if you do call, the reply they will probably give is that there already is a dedicated crew lane in Sydney.
The problem seems to be that not many foreign crew know about it.
I am talking about arriving through exits A/B (gates 8-37), which is where we exclusively exit, so I'm not sure if it's the same when you exit from C/D (50-63).
I agree about that the attitude of the AQIS staff in Australia in that they don't seem very keen to point crew in the right direction, and are happy to see them wait when they may not need to.
I have not had this experience in Sydney in the past few months although I know exactly where to go now to expedite my exit and I have found the AQIS staff reasonable helpful there.
A few months ago our crew waited a long time in a snaking queue at Perth quarantine.
Brisbane and Melbourne have also had similar delays.
I have waited on the crew bus for up to an hour for one or two crew who have items to declare, and that is where the system is falling down for us.
I agree with clear to land in that I have been very embarassed by the behaviour of the ACS and AQIS staff to foreign crew and passengers.
The attitude that "everyone should know how it works in Australia and you are somehow an inconvenience if you don't", is very prevalent.
The way they "talk down" to people who's first language is not english, is disgusting sometimes.
They don't have a monopoly on this attitude, some security screening staff demonstrate this behaviour as well.
I would suggest that for foreign crews arriving in Australia, the captain approach the AQIS or ACS staff and ask them where they should go to make their exit as efficient as possible.
Last edited by twiggs; 31st Jan 2009 at 23:11.
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In Sydney, there is an express lane for quarantine but it is generally only available if you have nothing to declare or do have, but get a green stamp from the AQIS staff in the baggage collection area.
For exits A/B it is located to the far right hand side of the baggage hall.
I would suggest all crew head there and just ask if it is ok to exit there.
It is actually a trial at this stage, so I'm sure they would appreciate feedback, and it will probably be extended to all airports if the trial encounters no major issues.
For exits A/B it is located to the far right hand side of the baggage hall.
I would suggest all crew head there and just ask if it is ok to exit there.
It is actually a trial at this stage, so I'm sure they would appreciate feedback, and it will probably be extended to all airports if the trial encounters no major issues.
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twiggs, I am right in saying that at Sydney there is a deicated immigration lane but not one for quarantine.
There is no lane dedicated to crew for clearing customs and quarantine.
The answer as suggested by Twiggs is not to rort or use another idea that is intended to streamline passengers through customs and quarantine.
We want a dedicated lane for crew to clear customs and AQIS- PURE & SIMPLE -
Not another lane which when crew start using it as twiggs has suggested will then be closed down for crew when the amount of crew becomes too large.