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| Not affilliated with Qantas airlines - in fact, they hate us |
Supreme Court: two Qantas-737 pilots shall be prosecuted for recklessness
From: ABC News and News Australia (more at:www.abc.net.au and www.news.com.au) Posted June 7, 2009
The Supreme Court has reversed a decision not to trial the two Qantas pilots accused of recklessly
endangering the lives of 70 passengers because investigators were too slow, resulting in destruction
of evidence. The two Victorian-based pilots, Peter Maxwell Edwards and Stephen Sarunic had both
pleaded not guilty. On the night of October 23, Qantas sent a Boeing 737, piloted by the two accused,
to Launceston to collect a group of stranded passengers. Two Royal Flying Doctor Service pilots and
a paramedic claim to have seen the aircraft taxiing for take-off despite the runway lighting no longer
being on. Two nearby residents -- another pilot with a different airline and a plane spotter -- reported a
lso that there were no runway lights on as the plane took off. An RFDS pilot reported the incident to the
airport within five minutes and to CASA the next day, but Justice Slicer said that by Nov. 7 it appeared "there had been no intervening steps
to further the investigation, by which time the data on the flight data recorder of the aircraft had been erased". The High Court has now
decided that a judge, Pierre Slicer applied a wrong principle to the case two years ago, and that no delay or loss of evidence justified what
it called an "extreme" step. The trial will now proceed.
Government Safety Audit gives Qantas 15 safety correction notices
From: The Australian (more at: www.theaustralian.news.com.au) Posted: June 6, 2009
A review of the way Qantas maintains individual aircraft has resulted in about 15 requests for corrective action
from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. CASA undertook the "tail audit" in the wake of a series of incidents
that included a mid-air oxygen bottle explosion that blew a hole in the side of jumbo jet and a computer glitch
that sent an Airbus jet on wild ride and prompted an embarrassing maintenance review that last year that
found Qantas was not meeting its own performance benchmarks. CASA deputy chief executive operations
Mick Quinn told a Senate hearing last week that "During this process we identified a number of areas we
believed required some attention and we have issued approximately 15 -- I think 13 to date on a 737 and 767
-- requests for corrective action." Mr. Quinn said he could not comment on how many requests for corrective
action had been issued on the 747 because it was incomplete.
TV’s 9-News censors airline stories due to Qantas sponsorship
From: mumbrella (more at: mumbrella.com.au) Posted June 6, 2009
The Nine Network on June 3rd, censored its 5am news bulletin to avoid mentioning Air France disaster because
the programme is funded by Qantas. The network’s first bulletin of the day had no mention of the
disappearance of the flight off the coast of Brazil, despite it being a major story in other Australian media.
Because a recording of the programme is also shown at Qantas, Nine took the decision not to tell TV viewers
about the disaster. A spokesman said: “We never report news involving plane incidents on Qantas”. It’s not the
first time attention has been drawn to this transcript from the ABC’s Media Watch pointing out a similar issue
over striking Qantas engineers and other mishaps last year.
Qantas will no longer sponsor the Australian Open Tennis
From: The Age (more at: www.theage.com.au) Posted June 5, 2009
A spokesman for the airline confirmed that its 21-year association will not continue into 2010. The Qantas
deal was more heavily linked to ticketing and travel-related arrangements than cash, the value of sponsorships
lost from this year's event is estimated to now exceed $10 million. Qantas spokesman Joe Aston said. "I don't t
hink it's in anyone's interests to go into too much detail”.
Airports Angry over Populist comments by Qantas CEO
From: The Australian (more at: www.theaustralian.news.com.au) Posted June 2, 2009
Airports have hit back at claims by Qantas that they are overcharging. Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce attacked airport
charges during a speech “Australian airports would charge for oxygen if they could”. The airports returned fire yesterday.
Brisbane Airport Corporation chief executive Koen Rooijmans said he was surprised and disappointed by Mr Joyce's
"selective and populist" claims. He pointed to moves by airlines to charge passengers for everything from leg-room,
water, food and blankets to toilets. "We have the lowest major airport charges in Australia” Melbourne airport
spokeswoman Emma Stenhouse said.
Qantas start charging $160 more for Emergency exit seats
From: Stuff New Zealand (more at: www.stuff.co.nz ) Posted May 27, 2009
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has defended the airline's decision to slug passengers up to $A160 for
emergency exit row seats that offer more legroom. "Qantas is giving people more of an option," he told
reporters on Wednesday. "Up until now you couldn't guarantee an emergency seat so now, if you want to
purchase it, we have that extra service so you can pay for it. There is a demand for people willing to pay for it."
He said Qantas subsidiary Jetstar have made significant revenue out of charging extra for the seats. "we
think there is a revenue opportunity and its making sure that we earn every piece of revenue we can".
150 Passengers Stranded after Qantas 737 smell and suspicious parcel
From: WA Today (More at: www.watoday.com.au ) Posted May 25, 2009
More than 150 Sydney-bound passengers were stranded for three-and-a-half hours at Perth Airport today
after QF574 was evacuated when a suspicious odour was detected in the plane's cargo hold. Deputy Mayor
of the City of Cockburn, Kevin Allen, said the 737-800 aircraft was evacuated after a "suspicious parcel"
was found on board. He said five fire trucks and two carloads of police had attended the grounded aircraft
to examine cargo in the plane's hull.
Qantas Cancel First-Class: San Fransisco, Hong-Kong, Buenos Aires, Melbourne & Sydney
From: Business Traveler (more at: www.businesstraveller.com) Posted May 28, 2009
During the summer months Qantas has decided to withdraw first class from three long-haul routes. According to
the industry publication Air Transport World, Qantas will not offer a first class cabin on flights between Sydney,
San Francisco and Buenos Aires in addition to its Melbourne-Hong Kong-London service. The decision to
withdraw first class between London and Melbourne on flights QF29 and QF30 will impact those travellers using
Qantas as an alternative.
I
From: ABC News and News Australia (more at:www.abc.net.au and www.news.com.au) Posted June 7, 2009
The Supreme Court has reversed a decision not to trial the two Qantas pilots accused of recklessly
endangering the lives of 70 passengers because investigators were too slow, resulting in destruction
of evidence. The two Victorian-based pilots, Peter Maxwell Edwards and Stephen Sarunic had both
pleaded not guilty. On the night of October 23, Qantas sent a Boeing 737, piloted by the two accused,
to Launceston to collect a group of stranded passengers. Two Royal Flying Doctor Service pilots and
a paramedic claim to have seen the aircraft taxiing for take-off despite the runway lighting no longer
being on. Two nearby residents -- another pilot with a different airline and a plane spotter -- reported a
lso that there were no runway lights on as the plane took off. An RFDS pilot reported the incident to the
airport within five minutes and to CASA the next day, but Justice Slicer said that by Nov. 7 it appeared "there had been no intervening steps
to further the investigation, by which time the data on the flight data recorder of the aircraft had been erased". The High Court has now
decided that a judge, Pierre Slicer applied a wrong principle to the case two years ago, and that no delay or loss of evidence justified what
it called an "extreme" step. The trial will now proceed.
Government Safety Audit gives Qantas 15 safety correction notices
From: The Australian (more at: www.theaustralian.news.com.au) Posted: June 6, 2009
A review of the way Qantas maintains individual aircraft has resulted in about 15 requests for corrective action
from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. CASA undertook the "tail audit" in the wake of a series of incidents
that included a mid-air oxygen bottle explosion that blew a hole in the side of jumbo jet and a computer glitch
that sent an Airbus jet on wild ride and prompted an embarrassing maintenance review that last year that
found Qantas was not meeting its own performance benchmarks. CASA deputy chief executive operations
Mick Quinn told a Senate hearing last week that "During this process we identified a number of areas we
believed required some attention and we have issued approximately 15 -- I think 13 to date on a 737 and 767
-- requests for corrective action." Mr. Quinn said he could not comment on how many requests for corrective
action had been issued on the 747 because it was incomplete.
TV’s 9-News censors airline stories due to Qantas sponsorship
From: mumbrella (more at: mumbrella.com.au) Posted June 6, 2009
The Nine Network on June 3rd, censored its 5am news bulletin to avoid mentioning Air France disaster because
the programme is funded by Qantas. The network’s first bulletin of the day had no mention of the
disappearance of the flight off the coast of Brazil, despite it being a major story in other Australian media.
Because a recording of the programme is also shown at Qantas, Nine took the decision not to tell TV viewers
about the disaster. A spokesman said: “We never report news involving plane incidents on Qantas”. It’s not the
first time attention has been drawn to this transcript from the ABC’s Media Watch pointing out a similar issue
over striking Qantas engineers and other mishaps last year.
Qantas will no longer sponsor the Australian Open Tennis
From: The Age (more at: www.theage.com.au) Posted June 5, 2009
A spokesman for the airline confirmed that its 21-year association will not continue into 2010. The Qantas
deal was more heavily linked to ticketing and travel-related arrangements than cash, the value of sponsorships
lost from this year's event is estimated to now exceed $10 million. Qantas spokesman Joe Aston said. "I don't t
hink it's in anyone's interests to go into too much detail”.
Airports Angry over Populist comments by Qantas CEO
From: The Australian (more at: www.theaustralian.news.com.au) Posted June 2, 2009
Airports have hit back at claims by Qantas that they are overcharging. Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce attacked airport
charges during a speech “Australian airports would charge for oxygen if they could”. The airports returned fire yesterday.
Brisbane Airport Corporation chief executive Koen Rooijmans said he was surprised and disappointed by Mr Joyce's
"selective and populist" claims. He pointed to moves by airlines to charge passengers for everything from leg-room,
water, food and blankets to toilets. "We have the lowest major airport charges in Australia” Melbourne airport
spokeswoman Emma Stenhouse said.
Qantas start charging $160 more for Emergency exit seats
From: Stuff New Zealand (more at: www.stuff.co.nz ) Posted May 27, 2009
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has defended the airline's decision to slug passengers up to $A160 for
emergency exit row seats that offer more legroom. "Qantas is giving people more of an option," he told
reporters on Wednesday. "Up until now you couldn't guarantee an emergency seat so now, if you want to
purchase it, we have that extra service so you can pay for it. There is a demand for people willing to pay for it."
He said Qantas subsidiary Jetstar have made significant revenue out of charging extra for the seats. "we
think there is a revenue opportunity and its making sure that we earn every piece of revenue we can".
150 Passengers Stranded after Qantas 737 smell and suspicious parcel
From: WA Today (More at: www.watoday.com.au ) Posted May 25, 2009
More than 150 Sydney-bound passengers were stranded for three-and-a-half hours at Perth Airport today
after QF574 was evacuated when a suspicious odour was detected in the plane's cargo hold. Deputy Mayor
of the City of Cockburn, Kevin Allen, said the 737-800 aircraft was evacuated after a "suspicious parcel"
was found on board. He said five fire trucks and two carloads of police had attended the grounded aircraft
to examine cargo in the plane's hull.
Qantas Cancel First-Class: San Fransisco, Hong-Kong, Buenos Aires, Melbourne & Sydney
From: Business Traveler (more at: www.businesstraveller.com) Posted May 28, 2009
During the summer months Qantas has decided to withdraw first class from three long-haul routes. According to
the industry publication Air Transport World, Qantas will not offer a first class cabin on flights between Sydney,
San Francisco and Buenos Aires in addition to its Melbourne-Hong Kong-London service. The decision to
withdraw first class between London and Melbourne on flights QF29 and QF30 will impact those travellers using
Qantas as an alternative.
I
