QF DFW in - SFO out
short flights long nights
I think EK have a few A345s they would be happy to lease out
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I was on that QF8 29th August, I thought the crew and Qantas did a pretty good job under difficult circumstances. The capt especially kept us pretty well informed and was highly visible throughout the 10 hours we were in Fiji.
They were attempting to extend operational hours so the crew could continue to Brisbane, which I think would have been the preferred option for everyone, but unfortunately this meant we were kept on board for 3 hours after landing. Also there was some uncertanity whether the airport could cater for 350 unscheduled pax - there were no/few outbound flights until later in the afternoon. There was talk of catering in a local hotel, but Sunday is changeover day apparently, and little room capacity due to it being peak holiday season.
A few whinges from some gold card holders that they couldn't get in the lounge, which I gather was restricted to F only, as it's not huge.
Catering in the airport was fairly limited, and the 40 (local) dollar voucher wasn't valid for alcohol...
The inbound Virgin plane with the replacement crew was late in, but we took off later for Brisbane, arriving after all the connecting flights had left - over 100 of us were accomodated in 2 local hotels with meal and phone allowances, finally arrived in Mel 30 hours late.
Not a great trip, but I thought quite well handled by Qantas.
Quick question - I thought they'd be able to put a 744 down at a major airport in 0 visibility these days, don't they have Cat 3 ILS on the Aus East Coast?
Cheers - SLF
They were attempting to extend operational hours so the crew could continue to Brisbane, which I think would have been the preferred option for everyone, but unfortunately this meant we were kept on board for 3 hours after landing. Also there was some uncertanity whether the airport could cater for 350 unscheduled pax - there were no/few outbound flights until later in the afternoon. There was talk of catering in a local hotel, but Sunday is changeover day apparently, and little room capacity due to it being peak holiday season.
A few whinges from some gold card holders that they couldn't get in the lounge, which I gather was restricted to F only, as it's not huge.
Catering in the airport was fairly limited, and the 40 (local) dollar voucher wasn't valid for alcohol...
The inbound Virgin plane with the replacement crew was late in, but we took off later for Brisbane, arriving after all the connecting flights had left - over 100 of us were accomodated in 2 local hotels with meal and phone allowances, finally arrived in Mel 30 hours late.
Not a great trip, but I thought quite well handled by Qantas.
Quick question - I thought they'd be able to put a 744 down at a major airport in 0 visibility these days, don't they have Cat 3 ILS on the Aus East Coast?
Cheers - SLF
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Originally Posted by SLF
don't they have Cat 3 ILS on the Aus East Coast?
Oz aviation infrastructure is a disgrace.
SYD,MEL,BNE,CBR,PER and HBA are fogged out every year causing huge disruption.
CAT III technology has been around since the 70's (heyday of the Whispering T-Jet BTW
) CAT III was originally flown by BAC111's and Tridents for heavens sake (also T-Jets but not cool like the 9 & the 72!)
.
That only MEL has (a broken) CAT III system is appalling in this day and age esp. when alternates are so far away in Australia.
We urgently need a CAT III system at all the above airports either via ILS or RNP and CAT I at the primary alternates, which should be close by (NTL, AAV, CBR, OOL, LST,KGI etc).
Unfortunately the attitude of Macquarie Airports, to name one, is that disruption is to be welcomed as thousand of pax will be trapped in the terminal to be ripped off at the airport company's lesuire. As for the landing fees - all those diversions and returns will cause extra landings and a therefore fee bonanza.
Wouldn't surprise me if the "Association of Privatised Airport Owners" have clubbed together to buy fog machines
SYD,MEL,BNE,CBR,PER and HBA are fogged out every year causing huge disruption.
CAT III technology has been around since the 70's (heyday of the Whispering T-Jet BTW
) CAT III was originally flown by BAC111's and Tridents for heavens sake (also T-Jets but not cool like the 9 & the 72!).
That only MEL has (a broken) CAT III system is appalling in this day and age esp. when alternates are so far away in Australia.
We urgently need a CAT III system at all the above airports either via ILS or RNP and CAT I at the primary alternates, which should be close by (NTL, AAV, CBR, OOL, LST,KGI etc).
Unfortunately the attitude of Macquarie Airports, to name one, is that disruption is to be welcomed as thousand of pax will be trapped in the terminal to be ripped off at the airport company's lesuire. As for the landing fees - all those diversions and returns will cause extra landings and a therefore fee bonanza.
Wouldn't surprise me if the "Association of Privatised Airport Owners" have clubbed together to buy fog machines
CAT III was originally flown by BAC111's and Tridents for heavens sake (also T-Jets but not cool like the 9 & the 72!)
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It is not the airports who are at fault - it is the airlines!
The airlines can have Cat III installed but they have to pay for it.
The airlines are told what the increase in the charges will be and asked do they want an ILS installed.
The airline bean counters make the decision that it is not cost effective - simple as that!
The airlines can have Cat III installed but they have to pay for it.
The airlines are told what the increase in the charges will be and asked do they want an ILS installed.
The airline bean counters make the decision that it is not cost effective - simple as that!
The airlines can have Cat III installed but they have to pay for it.
The airlines are told what the increase in the charges will be and asked do they want an ILS installed.
The airline bean counters make the decision that it is not cost effective - simple as that!
The airlines are told what the increase in the charges will be and asked do they want an ILS installed.
The airline bean counters make the decision that it is not cost effective - simple as that!
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Foggy (city) Memory
From memory....doesn't (or didn't) the rat owe SFO airport owners bags of money for environmental issues they caused there many moons ago? Maybe the deal to return (and leave again) is tied up somehow with a commitment to repair the damage in $$ or in kind.....
Got to love Qantas. In December i believe 18 of thirty of these services didnt make it direct. Also met a frequent flyer this morning who booked Dallas Sydney on points and was told at check in that he would have to clear immigration in Brisbane and go domestic to Sydney despite there been seats on the 744 from Brisbane to Sydney. He had a 6 month old child and despite an hour of attempts to stay on the flight the ground staff and reservations would not change it. He missed the conection in Brisbane and they had to rebook him anyway. Says the service on board was fabulous but the experience was ruined by the ground staff. How silly are we?
......was told at check in that he would have to clear immigration in Brisbane and go domestic to Sydney despite there been seats on the 744 from Brisbane to Sydney.
East-West Loco could probably shed some more light on this.
Was booked thru Qantas frequent flyer.
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Since it started, it has only diverted on average once a month.......the QF94 or the Sydney flights have diverted due to weather (i.e. fog) just as much but no one mentions that.
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Not true qantas 787. The 744 just doesn't hv the range to deal with adverse winds and weather. Qf engineers hv even been sent to akl for a week at a time to deal with 'planned' diversions. So your 'once a month' is miles off compared to other flts such as the qf94
Good story!
Qantas has never needed their own engineers in NZ.
ANZ engineers have licenses for everything!
Qf engineers hv even been sent to akl for a week at a time to deal with 'planned' diversions
ANZ engineers have licenses for everything!
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Not true qantas 787. The 744 just doesn't hv the range to deal with adverse winds and weather. Qf engineers hv even been sent to akl for a week at a time to deal with 'planned' diversions. So your 'once a month' is miles off compared to other flts such as the qf94
Last edited by Stalins ugly Brother; 2nd Jan 2013 at 08:40.
CAT III technology has been around since the 70's (heyday of the Whispering T-Jet BTW
) CAT III was originally flown by BAC111's and Tridents for heavens sake (also T-Jets but not cool like the 9 & the 72!)
) CAT III was originally flown by BAC111's and Tridents for heavens sake (also T-Jets but not cool like the 9 & the 72!)
As a matter of some historic interest, despite all the development work done in UK, the first type certified for Cat. 111 with a UK carrier was the L1011 Tristar ---- beat the DH Tridents into service.
Tootle pip!!