Cyclone Evan and Virgin

[Ken Borough]

A report in today's Sydney Morning Herald suggested that Virgin 'offloaded' 11 schoolies in Fiji in order to repatriate their staff and so get them out of any perceived danger from the cyclone.

If this report is true, Virgin should be doing something by way of disciplinary action against the intellectually challenged staff member who took the decision. Can anyone clarify, confirm or deny the report?

[Ken Borough]

Erm.....the description was qualified by the comment 'if this report is true....'.

Next!

[Aerodad]

My son and his group was part of the schoolies who tried to get out of Nadi on Sat and Sun. Confirmed flight to Syd via Mel on Sat, names not listed, rebooked for Sun to Melb, same thing, then Bne flight and then with help from Consular staff (not Australian) eventually travelled. There were 14 schoolies left at Nadi who were not boarded, some of whom we understand then paid over $700 for a flight to Syd via Akl on the last flight out yesterday. We did hear that these 14 were not boarded because of Unleashed and Virgin staff but again can't be sure.

[troppo]

Anyways, back to the cyclone, I am half way between Lautoka and Nadi and this placed is getting trashed. Major destruction and unbelievable wind strength. Apparently it is going to get worse in a couple of hours

[big buddah]

I see the latest METAR has it gusting 90kts at Nadi, this is going to be bad!

[Ozdork]

Troppo, how many jets left at Nadi, or did they manage to get them all out yesterday evening?

[tail wheel]

Talk about jumping to conclusions and going off half cocked........

One SMH article contained the comment:

Some were angry that their children had reportedly been dumped from a Virgin flight for which they had tickets so that airline staff could be evacuated: ''11 kids left stranded so virgin staff can escape cyclone,'' one mother wrote. ''Seats that they had booked a year ago.''

I suspect that at best that is maybe half the story, then there is the other side of the story and then there are the facts of the matter!

First it is stated "reportedly". That is at best, a maybe. The Schoolies are not alone:

Thousands of Australians are among those bracing for the onslaught of tropical cyclone Evan, which is bearing down on Fiji after cutting a swath through Samoa last week.

More than 180 registered schoolies who travelled to Fiji's popular Mana Island and Plantation resorts are believed to be among those Australians stranded in Fiji. However, the largest provider of schoolies celebrations in Fiji, Unleashed Travel, said it had evacuated all of its 500 customers from the country yesterday.

My guess, for what it is worth, it that the schoolies (and many other Australians) held confirmed travel tickets to travel sometime this week. The weather got worse and all wanted to travel on Sunday. The airline did what it was required to do - accept those with confirmed travel on Sunday's flights and fill the remaining seats from it's wait list of passengers holding confirmed travel tickets for later this week.

No one could expect Australian airlines to uplift "Thousands of Australians" out of Fiji in one or two days.

[teresa green]

Things must have changed since my day. Then the staff were told to stock up (we went to the grog shop) don't go near windows, wear a rain coat, and good luck. If you are still alive and the aircraft is still in one piece, sign on time is 0300 hrs, be there. All to soft these days!

[pull-up-terrain]

Its true that on my flight home last night (DJ156) that 4 people (my friends) got left behind, not because Virgin wanted to get their staff out of fiji, but because they had drunk way too much alcohol they had just bought from duty free and couldn't be bothered to board the plane. The captain had even made a PA saying that 4 people hadn't boarded the plane and they will be removing there luggage.

(Keep in mind, it may be true for flight DJ154, but it is definitely not true for flight DJ156)

It is true that there were virgin staff on my plane (im assuming New Zealand based) who were evacuating from fiji but there was still spare seats.

On the topic of Virgin Australia. On the flight to fiji they some how managed to lose 40 peoples bags, and the people who went to schoolies the week before us had 10 people lose their bags.

[pull-up-terrain]

I just got an update from my friend who was 1 of the 14 left behind in fiji. The 14 of them had either been too lazy to board the plane or got lost on the way to the airport.

So not Virgin's fault.

[oldhasbeen]

"couldn't be bothered" or "too lazy to board" the aircraft. If these idiots were schoolies, then the future of this country is in good hands

[tail wheel]

It is true that there were virgin staff on my plane (im assuming New Zealand based) who were evacuating from fiji but there was still spare seats.

Assuming that statement is correct, that sems to be the end of the story?

[The Green Goblin]

And even if the passengers were offloaded for staff to get home the company has an obligation to put the safety of it's staff first period.

If they put fare paying passengers ahead of the staff on an occasion such as this and god forbid the worst happened, there would be a lynch mob after the company.

If little johnny and his cohorts get stuck over there, well, that's life.

Enjoy your holiday

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

And the cause of it all.....
Enjoy...
MTSAT Infrared Colorized Image Loop - Satellite Services Division - Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution

Cheers

p.s. Surf's up......