AirNZ Plane Incidents

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Networkn
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#468309 12-May-2011 14:28

My information came from 2 separate ex engineers who have worked for both companies. However, at the end of the day, it's more or less irrelevant, as it's my choice who I fly and my reasons don't require ANY justification. There are plenty of well publicized events with Qantas planes, and for this reason, I choose to place my trust in an airline I feel takes good care of it's planes. If AirNZ had this same number of issues, and I was aware of them, I would likely switch to another carrier.

I don't consider the bottom of a plane being blown off routine, nor do I consider a planes radar failing and requiring an escort back to the originating port, nor a window coming loose inflight, routine.

PenultimateHop

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#468322 12-May-2011 14:40

Air NZ has had plenty of issues - remember the multiple 747 issues in the early 2000s with components falling off the aircraft in flight? You could even go to the extreme of pointing out the two complete hull losses with all souls on board.

You are right that some of the QF issues are not routine, in particular the QF30 incident, however I'd note that the ATSB report did not implicate Qantas maintenance in any way.

They do need to get their act together with their ongoing labor disputes, but I don't find myself worried about Qantas or Air New Zealand maintenance or aircraft. You are quite welcome to feel differently, but I think it's a bit overly dramatic.

hairy1

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#468324 12-May-2011 14:45

With the QF EBA up for renewal there is a lot of spin around Qantas at the moment. They have had a bad run in the media.

A few years ago some parts fell off NZ planes into Manukau.... Swings and roundabouts.

QF are cancelling flights in preparations for tomorrows stop work meetings which also doesn't help.

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

networkn

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#468338 12-May-2011 15:06

Hi There!

There was a time I flew exclusively with Qantas, I preferred them to Air NZ, back when they had their issues you are referring to. I had a good number of their points. When AirNZ went into bankruptcy and were reborn, they have really got their act together, and I believe, having flown extensively with a fair number of airlines, they are amongst the best in the world. Until very recently we thought the points program was great, and very rarely fly economy any more, as we have points which allow us business class upgrades.

I read an article that said that reported incidents in qantas planes had increased 4x over the same number of incidents 5 years ago, but for the life of me cannot find that article any more. Certainly the number of media reports of incidents have dramatically increased.

I think when you are getting that much media attention, you as CEO would be saying to the engineers "hey we need to do better". When AirNZ had all their issues, there were a number of extremely intense meetings between the management of AirNZ at the time and the engineering staff, a number of staff were let go, and the issues got a lot less.

My problem, is that Qantas seem happy to bury their heads in the sand over these reports, continuously saying no changes need to be made, and their planes are safe to travel in.. I simply don't agree.

networkn

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#468340 12-May-2011 15:08

Unrelated: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10725134

allan

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#468373 12-May-2011 16:18

John2010: I see the media are claiming

"Mike O'Donnell, who was sitting near the front of the aircraft, said that after
landing in Hamilton the pilot told passengers it was the first time an Air New
Zealand 737 had had a total loss of engine. "[He said] we were part of history." "

I don't know where that comes from because I have been on an Air NZ Boeing 737 which suffered the total loss of an engine and it was not that one.

The report I heard said "first time for an uncontrolled loss of an engine". Maybe that is true and others have been controlled shutdowns?

John2010

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#468516 12-May-2011 22:20

allan:
The report I heard said "first time for an uncontrolled loss of an engine". Maybe that is true and others have been controlled shutdowns?

Don't know how controlled or uncontrolled it was but was the whole flash, bang, shake and flames thing. I had an overseas guest with me and I had arranged a window seat just behind the wing for him and engine was on that side. So we got a different view out the window to what was expected.

Unlike the recent media reported one, the pax were all very calm; no screams, crying, oxygen needed, etc and no one made a fuss with the media. Maybe that constitutes a controlled shutdown and if with screaming is an uncontrolled one

.

EDIT: In case interested it was a 737-200 not one of the current 737-300 - no 200's in the fleet now as far as I am aware, last was disposed of around 2002.

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networkn

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#471689 20-May-2011 18:28

And just a few DAYS later....

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/5032671/Qantas-jet-turns-back-with-dead-engine

vinnieg

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#471695 20-May-2011 18:46

networkn: And just a few DAYS later....

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/5032671/Qantas-jet-turns-back-with-dead-engine

If you are that worried about air travel, then you probably shouldn't:
- Drive a car
- Go outside the house
- Have electricity
- Eat unhealthy food

I do all of those above and more, motorcycling, skydiving, why be scared to die? We all die sometime, the chance of you dying in an airplane is still higher than getting hit by lightning!

In fact, you should probably move away from your keyboard in case a power surge hit's it :)

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

networkn

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#471711 20-May-2011 19:50

I don't like flying, but I fly because it's low risk, but right now, flying Qantas is higher risk than flying other airlines as far as I am concerned.

Perhaps you should read the entire thread for some context.

vinnieg

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#471722 20-May-2011 20:05

networkn: I don't like flying, but I fly because it's low risk, but right now, flying Qantas is higher risk than flying other airlines as far as I am concerned.

Perhaps you should read the entire thread for some context.

I have and I still haven't seen any evidence of how much worse Qantas is than Air NZ? Sure they have a few failures, but that's mostly to do with Rolls Royce and most of the time they could fly on safely, but always turn back in case something bigger goes wrong. I think that's a good thing!

But as for "I don't like flying", don't worry man I know how that feels, there's a lot of things I don't like too!

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

John2010

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#471768 20-May-2011 22:07

networkn: ...flying Qantas is higher risk than flying other airlines as far as I am concerned...

So your fear of Qantas is completely irrationally based.

You need to do a few flights on the airlines of some third world countries in order to get some perspective on these things

networkn

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#471774 20-May-2011 22:18

john2010: No other airline is getting the bad press that Qantas has had over the last two years re issues with flights. It's a miracle that no-one has been killed yet.

You wanna fly them, all the power to you, but I am not getting on a Qantas flight any time soon.

You want evidence? Do a little research, plenty of evidence to support my opinion.

John2010

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#471780 20-May-2011 22:32

networkn:

...plenty of evidence to support my opinion.

So you keep saying but you seem to be shy about presenting it.

I can't find any that supports your opinion, so how about you start presenting it - am not interested in media stuff or the opinions of your ex maintenance technician friends at the bottom of the food chain, just authorative data from the likes of CAA NZ, CASA Australia, FAA, CAA UK, etc enabling a comparison of maintenance initiated incidents and accidents among airlines.

networkn

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#471794 20-May-2011 23:52

If you think I am going to spend hours collating information for a complete stranger to convince them they shouldn't fly on an airline, you are sadly mistaken. If you wish to fly them and believe they are just as safe, all the power to you. I have satisfied myself that they are not as safe to fly as other airlines and nothing you say is going to convince me any more than obviously anything I could say would convince you away from your own opinion on the matter.

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