QF1
 

QF1 "ÖQJ" appears to be landing at this time at Athens???

CC

Correct !

Probably part of the new customer experience strategy. A mystery flight destination with each LHR ticket purchase.

Routine medical emergency, stop and go.

Melbourne-based crew looking to pick up a souvlaki.

Staying there passengers unable to access bags according to a text I received from some one on board.

What’s the reason given for the night stop?

The same reason Qantas has been making unscheduled stops all over the world for the past 100 years.

QF 12 didn’t depart Lax last night either due to not getting out of the hanger after maintenance.

So a medical diversion no longer equals a gas-n-go to continue on to the destination? There’s about 3-4 hours buffer on duty limits on a SIN-LHR sector, should be plenty of time (assuming crew agreed to extend).

Maybe the real reason is because Qantas has lost so much experience in the IOC and behind the scenes that we just aren’t that capable anymore.

They were at 14:00 hours duty on arrival in Athens. With a probable minimum of an hour on the ground and a planned 3:30 flight time to LHR perhaps one or more of the crew weren't prepared to extend to an 18 hour plus duty…..

After being thrown on the scrap heap for 2 years and then welcomed back with a 2 year pay freeze, I’d be astonished if any of the crew were prepared to extend.

Pretty standard Ops for crew NOT to extend after being treated like dirt for the past few years. Unless it benefits the pilot in some way (ie: needs to get home for family member b’day ect).

Yep, it’s always been the case that different people have different motives for extending or not extending. An unscheduled Athens overnight ain’t exactly the worst way to spend 24 hours!

Has anyone considered that maybe after performing high stress, critical medical attention to someone, maybe the cabin crew weren’t in a mentally fit state to continue?

It can be a very eye opening, confronting experience that no one knows how they will deal with until the time comes.

So before we all go firing off rockets at management….

I wouldn’t extend if it meant a night out in Athens.