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| from virgin australia blog |
Staff say exhaustion on long-haul flights is common and have raised concerns with senior management numerous times about not being alert enough to handle an emergency.The claims made on ABC Lateline are backed by AIPA's Richard Woodward who says "cabin crew are suffering very badly."
At least 60 complaints have been raised internally, citing serious concerns over fatigue on just the Sydney-Darwin and Sydney-Perth routes alone, ABC's Lateline reported last night.
"Change is always tough," he said. "But the competitive challenges we face make major change essential and our commitment to the change process is absolute.Read more from his speech from theaustralian.com.au HERE
Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) vice-president Richard Woodward yesterday said 94 per cent of the 1429 pilots who voted in a ballot were in favour of the action.If the pilots vote over the weekend to take their action in the form of a strike it has the potential to ground all Qantas flights through New Zealand, both the trans-tasman services and the SYD-AKL-LAX service.
Emergency light batteries on board the aircraft were tested, while hydraulic fluid was sampled and door switches were lubricated.This comes just weeks after CASA grounded fellow budget airline Tiger for safety breeches .
After five years of Air New Zealand defending its position and insisting it has done nothing wrong, US Department of Justice Federal Prosecutors have confirmed by letter that they have ended their investigation and Air New Zealand “is no longer a subject or target of the ongoing grand jury investigation”.However Air New Zealand are still being investigated by the New Zealand Commerce Commission in relation to international air cargo pricing.
The end of the Department of Justice investigation follows successful outcomes for the airline last November when it was not among airlines fined by the European Commission and before that, confirmation from regulators in South Korea that Air New Zealand was not among airlines fined at the conclusion of their investigation.
From July 26, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia trans-Tasman services will offer:
- Reciprocal Frequent Flyer programmes that cover both airlines’ networks, enabling Airpoints and Velocity members to earn and redeem frequent flyer points on each other’s services;
- Reciprocal lounge access for eligible customers1;
- Priority seating in dedicated zones for top tier frequent flyers;
- Priority Check-in, Baggage and Boarding for Premium Guests and eligible Airpoints and Velocity members; and
- Complimentary tea, coffee and water in-flight to all customers, as well as a food and beverage service for customers on the relevant fare types. The new Virgin Australia food and beverage service includes a continental breakfast, lunchtime wrap or evening meal with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
“I wouldn’t [fly Air NZ] because I sit there with the best experts in the world, telling me what the safety risks are,” Buchanan says.Air New Zealand through PR boss Mark Street have hit back at Mr Buchanan
“If the parent company of his organisation is saying it’s unsafe to fly, why are they rebooking their passengers onto other carriers?Read more of Mr Buchanan's comments and Air New Zealand's counter comments from scene.co.nz Queenstown reporter Philip Chandler HERE
“It doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
If CASA completes its investigations and determinations before 1 August 2011 and is satisfied Tiger Airways Australia no longer poses a serious and imminent risk to air safety it may be possible for it to resume operations earlier.
CASA says the action has been taken because it believes permitting the airline to continue to fly poses a serious and imminent risk to air safety.At this stage Tiger flights will remain grounded until next saturday.
