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Virgin Australia Priority For Boarding

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Virgin Australia Priority For Boarding

Old 4th Nov 2018, 10:15
  #21 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Square Bear

As to QF response...I was a First Responder for some time...never ever thought myself in the same league as a Veteran, and most First Responders I interacted with would have had the same feelings.
Why Not? Our emergency services (please don't use the Americanised term First Responders, we've already got enough American cultural infiltration) have high rates of death and injury in the job, they put their bodies in harm's way to save lives of our citizens, sacrifice a lot of time away from home and their families and miss birthdays, holidays etc to serve the community, have high rates of trauma and stress as a result of their actions and for lot of them they do it on a completely volunteer basis for no monetary reward. They absolutely deserve to be in the highest league of people honoured in our country. I'd argue for police officers they do that while copping a fair amount of undeserved abuse from the public as well. A greater number of emergency service workers have been killed on the job in Australia since 2003 than military personnel killed in conflicts over the same time period.

Let's not get into a contest about which vital professions are more worthy or deserving of respect, either we single out every individual group for praise or we treat all citizens equally. I'd rather the latter.

Last edited by dr dre; 13th Aug 2020 at 08:04.
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Old 4th Nov 2018, 10:23
  #22 (permalink)  
 
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My father was an ex-serviceman, and he’d be embarrassed by this.

Don’t go down the American path, for God’s sake!
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Old 4th Nov 2018, 10:37
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Originally Posted by morno
My father was an ex-serviceman, and he’d be embarrassed by this.

Don’t go down the American path, for God’s sake!
couldn't agree more morno, most ex servicemen stand proud without the need to be part of a commercial excersise! They could be honoured in many different silent ways👍
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Old 4th Nov 2018, 11:11
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a father of a Paramedic and other family members as Doctors, Nurses and Police officers aka First Responders I truly believe that they all should be offered priority boarding after all disabled passengers.
Priority boarding, to me, means you get to sit longer in your seat whilst waiting for the doors to be closed - nothing more. Except, maybe, being able to find an empty locker to put your carry-on baggage in to.
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Old 4th Nov 2018, 15:33
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I think we should avoid failing to show gratitude for any particular person's contribution and sacrifice by giving ALL passengers priority boarding - that has to be the fairest solution, surely?

PDR

Last edited by PDR1; 4th Nov 2018 at 16:30.
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Old 4th Nov 2018, 19:11
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So if a veteran is embarrassed and doesn’t wish to be recognised, stay seated and just walk on with everyone else. Virgin doesn’t know that you’re a veteran unless you tell them or are wearing something to identify yourself. Even if you have a small pin or something else that you wear, you can remain seated if you wish.
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Old 4th Nov 2018, 19:56
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Originally Posted by aussie1234
So if a veteran is embarrassed and doesn’t wish to be recognised, stay seated and just walk on with everyone else. Virgin doesn’t know that you’re a veteran unless you tell them or are wearing something to identify yourself. Even if you have a small pin or something else that you wear, you can remain seated if you wish.
This sums it up perfectly.
You are not obliged to take up this offer , if you don't like it then just stay seated until the normal boarding call.
The choice is yours , it's NOT compulsory so make your own choice.
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Old 4th Nov 2018, 21:12
  #28 (permalink)  
 
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The whole thing stinks of American patriotism. Next thing we know Tiger will be petitioning for all residential allotments to install flagpoles. I thank all past and present veterans, nay, ADF members - but in my experience, us Australians are a tad more humble. Let businesses put their money where their mouth is - if they truly value the service of the ADF then make financial contributions to necessary and underfunded veteran welfare services rather than embarrassingly singling out veterans for the pathetic benefit of boarding an aircraft 30 people earlier.
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Old 4th Nov 2018, 21:54
  #29 (permalink)  
 
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I would be interested in how many people in favour of this are actually past ADF members.
From my circle, about 90% of the ADF personnel I know (aged between 30 and 90) find it a bit embarrassing... yet people with no military background are all for it.

Reminds me of a local stoush over pool access rules for kids under 15.
The local Council has put up the age for mandatory parental/guardian supervision to "all ages below 15" citing sex predators and drowning hazards and risk management.
None of the Councillors has children or grandchildren affected by the decision.
None of the loudest supporting voices in the community have children affected by the decision.

Reminds me also of the stoush over Part 135/121 and its approval by RAAus, Virgin and Qantas.
They are in favour of these ****ty rules that don't affect them at all.

Motorists all seem far more in favour of bike helmets than cyclists.

Australians seem pretty good at supporting **** that doesn't affect them.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 00:45
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So the ADMINO in the MEAO whose biggest risk was a paper cut gets to waltz on to the aircraft before a paramedic or a firefighter?

Biggest. Joke. Ever.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 00:56
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Interesting all of the commentary is along the lines of "I've never served but...", "whataboutisms" of Dr Dre or even veterans themselves with "Americanisms" all seem to immediately deride or shut this simple gesture down. Sure it could be better with cheap airfares but that is unlikely...

What we should be asking "why do our veterans not feel proud enough of their service to even identify themselves?", or
"why do Australian veterans continue to feel the need to hide in anonymity?" Alot of it has to do with the continued public perpetuation of humble, stoic and silent ANZAC digger stereotype.

After 19 years in the Army the only time anyone has ever gone out of their way and thanked me for my service was in a foreign country (US). It is not something I seek out or need, but like when someone compliments you, it does change your day. It also says a lot about how we look at and treat veterans in Australia. Perhaps more 'silent honoring' is the true Australian way.

Maybe I will identify myself and board early, maybe I won't. The fact that I ask the question speaks to a larger cultural issue. In the future, maybe a younger serviceman or woman will accept this offer and never even ask this question to themselves.

A small gesture by Virgin, but nonetheless they have at least done something, which is better than nothing.

Last edited by 5_mile_sniper; 5th Nov 2018 at 01:23.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 01:27
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Yep it’s not service men and women asking for anything but something being proffered by a company to those people who have served the country. It doesn’t take away from the legitimate recognition that members of other civil organisations should get. In Australia we don’t even let poppies get tall before we cut them down.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 01:40
  #33 (permalink)  
 
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What we should be asking "why do our veterans not feel proud enough of their service to even identify themselves?.
The only country that promotes its military to that extent is the United States.

Australians don’t engage in the same type of jingoism Americans do. It isn’t an issue that needs fixing, it is our culture. We see being in the military as a job just like any other, some roles in the military carry a greater risk of harm than most civilian jobs but then again a lot of them don’t, as ruprecht pointed out. It is a cultural difference because us Australians don’t automatically heap platitudes on people for belonging to a particular group, we recognise what we do as individuals. Just because people in America did it to you doesn’t mean that Australians should start doing the same.

I’m sure if I was rescued by military forces I would thank them, just as if I had a doctor perform lifesaving surgery on me I would thank them or if I had a child who was struggling at school and a teacher went out of their way to help my child I would thank them, but would I automatically thank every single soldier, doctor or teacher I met? No.

This proposal is getting almost exclusively negative feedback, even the Australian Defence Association isn’t supporting it.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 02:00
  #34 (permalink)  
 
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And that looks like it will be the end of that. Virgin have just issued this on social media:

We are very mindful of the response that our announcement about recognising people who have served in defence has had today. It was a gesture genuinely done to pay respects to those who have served our country. Over the coming months, we will consult with community groups and our own team members who have served in defence to determine the best way forward. If this process determines that public acknowledgement of their service through optional priority boarding or any announcement is not appropriate, then we will certainly be respectful of that.
Looks like they’re backtracking on the proposal.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 02:05
  #35 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by ruprecht
So the ADMINO in the MEAO whose biggest risk was a paper cut gets to waltz on to the aircraft before a paramedic or a firefighter?

Biggest. Joke. Ever.
While I get where you're coming from, they're part of the team and spend as much time away as anyone else in the ADF. They didn't ask for this either.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 02:11
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Originally Posted by dr dre
And that looks like it will be the end of that. Virgin have just issued this on social media:



Looks like they’re backtracking on the proposal.
They are indeed considering the backlash. Personally I think it was just a cunning stunt (that's backfired) to get free media attention, after all the Red Rat are always in the papers & the vision news, they where smart enough to see how Virgins great idea went before they weighed in on the story to their advantage which they have done by not having a bar of it. America go about this recognition in a huge way nationwide, it's in their culture they are a very proud nation, we are simply different not right not wrong just different. Am sure our servicemen & women past & present know that Australians respect their service in our own special way:-)
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 03:20
  #37 (permalink)  
 
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Am sure our servicemen & women past & present know that Australians respect their service in our own special way
The Nashos suffering the abuse of the anti war movement as they filed in to report for duty would have far different opinions, as would those who were told don't go in public in uniform when you return home from Vietnam. And Bob Hawke with his ACTU hat on denying transport of goods to the war zone, yet taking pride of place on the saluting dais at the Sydney welcome home parade. Yes, Bob was a driving force behind organising the parade, but I see it as a little hypocritical given his ACTU action.

Mention of how dangerous other professions can be is a little precious, comparing that to a job which requires you to be a target for an enemy. No H & S rep ever seen on a battle front.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 03:40
  #38 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Kranz
The whole thing stinks of American patriotism. Next thing we know Tiger will be petitioning for all residential allotments to install flagpoles. I thank all past and present veterans, nay, ADF members - but in my experience, us Australians are a tad more humble. Let businesses put their money where their mouth is - if they truly value the service of the ADF then make financial contributions to necessary and underfunded veteran welfare services rather than embarrassingly singling out veterans for the pathetic benefit of boarding an aircraft 30 people earlier.
Absolutely.
You want to recognise and honour our servicemen? Then get your butt out of bed next Anzac Day and attend your local dawn service.
That's the AUSTRALIAN way of recognising our veterans.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 03:41
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Originally Posted by megan

Mention of how dangerous other professions can be is a little precious, comparing that to a job which requires you to be a target for an enemy. No H & S rep ever seen on a battle front.
Most military personnel outside of the deployed combat units never saw dangers like a raging bushfire or a deranged gun wielding maniac or a violent ice addict either. Plenty of military personnel doing safe jobs in an office environment like a “precious civilian OH&S rep” I’m sure. What’s your point?



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Old 5th Nov 2018, 03:55
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Just to make a point. In the USA only current serving military personnel in uniform get priority boarding. A Vet in civilian clothing has to wait like everyone else.
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