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Virgin Australia Priority For Boarding

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Virgin Australia Priority For Boarding

Old 5th Nov 2018, 04:09
  #41 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by pilotchute
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.
Even if the personnel have never been sent outside of the US, and just do a 9-5 job at the base or if they’re fresh out of training ? Then it’s even a bigger load of nonsense than I thought.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 04:15
  #42 (permalink)  
 
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This smacks of tokenism. If the airline or the government wants to do something that truly recognises veterans, they could start by asking them what they need. This might mean the airline offers discounts, better seat allocation, or, in the government's case, properly funding services that care for the veteran's mental and physiological health post-discharge.

The reason they love this in the USA is they are fond of openly displaying their "virtues" and the simple fact that Defence spending powers the economic engine of the country. It's about all they have left that they still make there.

I can remember close relatives who witnessed - and even carried out - unspeakable acts on behalf of their country in WW2. None of them wanted to talk about it. The only comment I recall from a twice shot-down Stirling and Wellington pilot was "we went too far" (about Dresden). Reminding them or asking them to recount stories of their service reopened too many old wounds. We weren't encouraged to ask and in some cases were sharply reprimanded if we did.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 04:16
  #43 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by dr dre


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?



Yeah cool, while they might not actively be behind the wire they still volunteer to spend copiously long periods of time in some pretty **** places to make the team work.

I get the point you’re trying to make but pull your head in.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 04:23
  #44 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Pearly White
This smacks of tokenism. If the airline or the government wants to do something that truly recognises veterans, they could start by asking them what they need. This might mean the airline offers discounts, better seat allocation, or, in the government's case, properly funding services that care for the veteran's mental and physiological health post-discharge.

The reason they love this in the USA is they are fond of openly displaying their "virtues" and the simple fact that Defence spending powers the economic engine of the country. It's about all they have left that they still make there.

I can remember close relatives who witnessed - and even carried out - unspeakable acts on behalf of their country in WW2. None of them wanted to talk about it. The only comment I recall from a twice shot-down Stirling and Wellington pilot was "we went too far" (about Dresden). Reminding them or asking them to recount stories of their service reopened too many old wounds. We weren't encouraged to ask and in some cases were sharply reprimanded if we did.
And another thing... They could own up to and fund the care of the poor servicemen and women, and their surviving families, for the horrendous and often terminal health damage caused by things like fuel exposure cleaning out F1-11 fuel tanks, instead of spending squillions on lawyers fighting their claims every step of the way. The government has behaved as badly as James Hardie Industries did about the asbestos. Shame on them all.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 04:36
  #45 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by junior.VH-LFA


Yeah cool, while they might not actively be behind the wire they still volunteer to spend copiously long periods of time in some pretty **** places to make the team work.

I get the point you’re trying to make but pull your head in.

Lots of civilians do that too, spend long amounts of time in undesirable places to make a team work. Because I’ve known many who have seen their relationships fall apart as a result.

How about we just agree that both military and civilian occupations can both equally include dangerous tasks and/or spending time away from home?
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 05:05
  #46 (permalink)  
 
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What next? A seperate boarding area for LGBTI’s (May have missed some there). This is yet more mindless corporate drivel, dreamily conjured up over a weeklong brainstorming session.

Just get on the effing aeroplane!
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 05:41
  #47 (permalink)  
 
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How about we just agree that both military and civilian occupations can both equally include dangerous tasks and/or spending time away from home?
Absolutely not, there's not a long list of civilian occupations that require the worker to fill out a cheque made payable to the community for a sum of up to and including his/her life. All civilian jobs have the protection of OH & S, absolutely no protection in the military. A civvy can certainly spend time away from home in rotten places, but they do it by choice, a little different to a government deciding to send troops into a conflict, and the unrelenting grind the current folks are doing by way of the number of rotations.

Peacetime a job in the military is no different to many civvy jobs, truck driver, office worker etc etc but put them in a combat zone then all caveats are off, they're in the front line and not knowing if the community gets to cash that cheque. Cue me a civvy job that can impose the stress of a jet night carrier landing. For your info it can be greater than the actual combat part.

The damn RSL wouldn't allow Vietnam guys to join because they hadn't been to a real war. Community respect for the troops? Not even an organisation of ex vets was willing to respect troops coming home. What's your point indeed.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 05:53
  #48 (permalink)  
 
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Just get on the effing aeroplane!
Thats the hardest I’ve laughed in a long time. I’d put money on jetlikespeeds being a Virgin 73 pilot.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 06:16
  #49 (permalink)  
 
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Mid-day news - Virgin announce they're having a re-think in light of public backlash.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 06:20
  #50 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by megan
.... Cue me a civvy job that can impose the stress of a jet night carrier landing.
Bush pilot in PNG/Indonesia. I reckon they’d have a higher accident toll as well.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 06:44
  #51 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by dr dre


Bush pilot in PNG/Indonesia. I reckon they’d have a higher accident toll as well.
........No. This seems an odd point to argue dr dre, that the military is not a dangerous/stressful/selfless occupation. Seems like you have a chip on your shoulder for some reason.

Last edited by H-Dog; 5th Nov 2018 at 07:11.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 06:56
  #52 (permalink)  
 
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It's been canned. Smart decision Virgin. Someone in marketing should be shot.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 08:18
  #53 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by junior.VH-LFA


Yeah cool, while they might not actively be behind the wire they still volunteer to spend copiously long periods of time in some pretty **** places to make the team work.

I get the point you’re trying to make but pull your head in.
I have a pilot mate sitting on Horn Island that ticks all those boxes!
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 08:24
  #54 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by H-Dog


........No. This seems an odd point to argue dr dre, that the military is not a dangerous/stressful/selfless occupation. Seems like you have a chip on your shoulder for some reason.
Nowhere on this thread have I argued that. I’ve just tried to explain to some people who are obsessed with elevating everything about the military above everything civilian that civilians are comparable. It’s obvious some will never accept that.

I feel a lot like Larry David:


I’ll bow out now, and say thank you for your service (to all, civil and military who’ve gone above and beyond for us all).

Last edited by dr dre; 5th Nov 2018 at 10:05.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 08:25
  #55 (permalink)  
 
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So a public company that has an interest in making money (which it isn't) that is owned by foreign companies, pulls a stunt to recognise veterans. I'm sorry but as others have said, there is a lot more that can be done for them rather than these marketing stunts.

Nice gesture, but announcing it like they have has backfired spectacularly
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 09:56
  #56 (permalink)  
 
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but put them in a combat zone then all caveats are off, they're in the front line and not knowing if the community gets to cash that cheque
Yeah, but all that was in the brochure before they signed on the dotted line. None of that should be a surprise to them. Every single member is a volunteer.
All civilian jobs have the protection of OH & S, absolutely no protection in the military
Rubbish.
http://www.defence.gov.au/WHS/
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 09:58
  #57 (permalink)  
 
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Just because veterans don't seek recognition is no reason not to give it.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 10:18
  #58 (permalink)  
 
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But bad PR apparently is.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 11:34
  #59 (permalink)  
 
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My grandmother once gave me a crap cardigan for Christmas. Instead of abusing her and telling her how awful it was I simply thanked her for the gesture and left it in the bottom draw. Pretty similar to the virgin announcement, not many people will take them up on the offer but it’s a damn good gesture…. And I’m not going to lampoon them for it.

The views expressed on here are anecdotal (all the ADF people I know…. Blah blah), one layer deep and miss the point of the GESTURE. Virgin has shown leadership and as some have pointed out brought veterans to the forefront.

Some have likened police and paramedics to those in the ADF; on the surface they appear to be similar however in the eyes of the law, which is where the distinction lies, they are very different. Ascribing deaths over a period of time as some sort of measure of similarity is naive at best.

I have farewelled a few guys from the ADF and every time I say that it’s not what they have done whilst serving that is the most important; rather it is the fact that they volunteered and stepped across the line on day one. The fact that they have signaled to the nation that they are willing to do anything the country asks of them, up to and including laying down their life, is the real point. All whilst making careful distinction that the job function they chose was irrelevant to that oath.

When you sign up to the ADF the deal is that you no longer have a say when it comes to being placed in harms way. An emergency services person does not, when signing up make this same agreement, and whilst the numbers may be similar, their death whilst tragic was not part of the deal.

You simply can’t compare the ADF by any standard to any other job – you are not an employee, you are a member. You are not working for the ADF, you are in the ADF or serving. You don’t quit, you petition the Governor General (or Career Managers). You can’t form contract with the ADF. You will be thrown in gaol if you don’t show up to work (ask the virgin pilot who was AWOL). It appears like a job from the outside but the reality is far from perception.
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Old 5th Nov 2018, 12:37
  #60 (permalink)  
 
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Professional Amateur, what a load of ****. So Police don't sign up to risk their lives for the community the same as ADF members do? By the way many ADF members are not risking their lives as they are not in combat roles. You are a tosser to think that the military is all high and mighty above all else. I respect their service, but no more than any other profession.
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