ABC 4 Corners on Qantas - Monday 5 September

[downgraded]

I didn't want to start a new thread for this, so posting here since the Four Corners report had a segment with an aircraft cleaner/fleet presentation.
This photo is circulating social media showing the current state of Qantas cleanliness standards, taken around 8:30am, so it's not like it's the end of the day after 10 cycles. More info:

https://www.reddit.com/r/sydney/comments/xdku32

This isn't new or news. Travels 5 years ago or more on QF A380s was on planes where the the level of dust/dirt/grime in the toilets demonstrated the surfaces weren't even being wiped with any frequency (to remove accumulating dust) never mind actually being "cleaned" or "sanitised". It was pure filth. More than once I've opened a tray table and had to get cabn crew to come and wipe away a previous occupant's meal.

Other airlines have "fleet presentation" staff working the flights keeping the planes clean. Not entirely sure I agree with that approach entirely but it's obvious QF haven't taken aircraft cleaning seriously for a very long time.

 

[downgraded]

This is how luggage is damaged. This is how golf clubs are damaged.

Surely that's not an acceptable practice?

Luggage can fall 2 feet of off a luggage carousel. A golf bag is for carrying clubs around a course, not really sure it is designed as the primary protection for carriage through an airport. Wine bottles are often shipped in card board boxes but I sure as hell wouldn't check a box in as checked luggage and expect it to survive.

 

[OATEK]

This is how luggage is damaged. This is how golf clubs are damaged.

Surely that's not an acceptable practice?

Once the new house is finished you will be able to keep a set of clubs there rather than carry them all the time. I tend to the view that luggage handling, whether manual or by machine, is likely to be quite rough on occasions and pack accordingly.

 

[RooFlyer]

Technically it's the government's money.

Not sure what you mean here. 'Technically' its the taxpayer's money, dispensed on its behalf by the government. And once its given to Qantas, its the Qantas shareholder's money.

 

[SYD]

Not sure what you mean here. 'Technically' its the taxpayer's money, dispensed on its behalf by the government. And once its given to Qantas, its the Qantas shareholder's money.

No, not automatically.

As an aside, I roll my eyes whenever some says “it’s taxpayer’s money”. It ceased to be the tax payer’s money when they paid their taxes! It goes into a murky pond called consolidated revenue…

 

[PineappleSkip]

I tend to the view that luggage handling, whether manual or by machine, is likely to be quite rough on occasions and pack accordingly.

Indeed it is, and only the naive would expect anything but rough treatment.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Once the new house is finished you will be able to keep a set of clubs there rather than carry them all the time. I tend to the view that luggage handling, whether manual or by machine, is likely to be quite rough on occasions and pack accordingly.

Between the point you drop off your bag at the counter to the point where you pick it up at the conveyor at the destination your bag has gone through so many machines, so many crew loading and unloading stuff. Plus being in the cargo hold of an airplane that makes turns at a couple hundred miles per hour means your bag will get chucked around. Combine that with the distinct possibility of lost bags and it's no wonder it's a rough world out there for checked bags.

As a general rule, anything that is valuable should be brought on board when feasible (i.e. passports, laptop, medication). Things that are valuable or critical in some way require special packing. For instance, I've had two 24 inch LCD monitors checked in my bags over the past couple of years in the following routings: YYZ > MAN, LHR > ORD > YYZ, YYZ > IAD > LHR, LHR > LAX > SYD and at no point were the monitors damages. What I did was wrap the monitors in towels, and have the monitors surrounded by clothing to give it adequate padding. Alternatively there are specialized cases you can buy to ensure your luggage won't get damaged. Certainly, I would expect that if you have taken care to protect your luggage and yet it is still damaged, the airlines would be on the hook per the Montreal convention and other treaties. At some point the airline does hold liability for damage.

In terms of lost luggage there are two things I generally do to try and avoid it. First, I use AirTags so at least I know where my bag is. Second, depending on where I'm travelling to/from, I'll check in a firearm (i.e. a starter pistol). Believe me, they won't be losing that suitcase given the amount of paperwork involved there!

-RooFlyer88

 

[JohnK]

Once the new house is finished you will be able to keep a set of clubs there rather than carry them all the time. I tend to the view that luggage handling, whether manual or by machine, is likely to be quite rough on occasions and pack accordingly.

I do put the golf clubs in a golf travel bag but they still find ways to damage them.

A few times I used the luggage plastic wrap service and Bangkok Airways still found a way to snap the golf driver head apart from the shaft.

My concern is they place little care on luggage but anyway we can go around and around in circles.

The easiest solution would be to have golf clubs in my house in Chiang Mai as well as clothes and another set of golf clubs in Pattaya by hiring a locker for around 6000-7000 baht/year. Then I can travel hand luggage only and not worry about lugging things around but I'm now going way off topic.

 

[Vic]

Indeed it is, and only the naive would expect anything but rough treatment.

Precisely why I always use a tray for my checked luggage.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Just thought I'd share that an Australian travel podcast I follow, DJ's Aviation, has just put out an episode on this:

-RooFlyer88

 

[TheInsider]

Other airlines have "fleet presentation" staff working the flights keeping the planes clean. Not entirely sure I agree with that approach entirely but it's obvious QF haven't taken aircraft cleaning seriously for a very long time.

The same staff that are cleaning other airlines (international) aircraft, are generally exactly the same as the ones cleaning Qantas now.

 

[SYD]

The same staff that are cleaning other airlines (international) aircraft, are generally exactly the same as the ones cleaning Qantas now.

You’d hope that crew would make a note to hold the contractor to their KPIs if PAX politely report issues.

I know we’d do that if the office cleaners weren’t doing there job.

 

[downgraded]

Once the new house is finished you will be able to keep a set of clubs there rather than carry them all the time. I tend to the view that luggage handling, whether manual or by machine, is likely to be quite rough on occasions and pack accordingly.

The same staff that are cleaning other airlines (international) aircraft, are generally exactly the same as the ones cleaning Qantas now.

I was referring to having dedicated on board staff doing cleaning work, such as assistant EK does.

 

[TheInsider]

I was referring to having dedicated on board staff doing cleaning work, such as assistant EK does.

That would not happen at all, a dedicated cleaner on every flight? EK only have that person on their A380s, and it's based on having the shower on board.

 

[downgraded]

That would not happen at all, a dedicated cleaner on every flight?! EK only have that person on their A380s, and it's based on having the shower on board.

That would not happen at all, a dedicated cleaner on every flight?! EK only have that person on their A380s, and it's based on having the shower on board.

"Cabin Services Assistant
To organise, hygienically clean and personalise the A380 Shower Spas with the objective of ensuring each First Class customer who uses this unique onboard feature is delighted by the experience. The primary area of responsibility is Shower Spa cleanliness and personalisation, however, maintenance of First, Business and Economy Class lavatories, First and Business Class Lounges and general cabin areas is also a responsibility of this role, all to project a positive company image to our customers. The role is to clean designated aircraft areas and does not overlap with or replace normal Cabin Crew service duties".

 

[TheInsider]

"Cabin Services Assistant
To organise, hygienically clean and personalise the A380 Shower Spas with the objective of ensuring each First Class customer who uses this unique onboard feature is delighted by the experience. The primary area of responsibility is Shower Spa cleanliness and personalisation, however, maintenance of First, Business and Economy Class lavatories, First and Business Class Lounges and general cabin areas is also a responsibility of this role, all to project a positive company image to our customers. The role is to clean designated aircraft areas and does not overlap with or replace normal Cabin Crew service duties".

Correct, but as I said, A380's only.

 

[RooFlyer]

The same staff that are cleaning other airlines (international) aircraft, are generally exactly the same as the ones cleaning Qantas now.

I dare say any employer of the contractor can specify the standard and detail of the work being done by the contractors employees. It’s just a matter of money, no doubt.

What you are saying I think is that the cleaning standard on Qantas international is the same as we might get on any international low-cost carrier.

 

[milehighclub]

Indeed it is, and only the naive would expect anything but rough treatment.

This is being rolled out at boarding gates across Australia to ensure passengers who are not entitled to premium boarding are popped into the right lane

 

[kangarooflyer88]

This is being rolled out at boarding gates across Australia to ensure passengers who are not entitled to premium boarding are popped into the right lane

"Do you know who I am? I'm a Platinu..." *whoosh*

 

[Princess Fiona]

I dare say any employer of the contractor can specify the standard and detail of the work being done by the contractors employees. It’s just a matter of money, no doubt.

What you are saying I think is that the cleaning standard on Qantas international is the same as we might get on any international low-cost carrier.

No I don’t think the OP is saying that at all.
Plenty of full service airlines use the same cleaning contractors as QF.

The cleaning standard on most airlines I fly on is very much a case of “don’t look into the side seat sections or floor crevices”.
Can’t say I’ve noticed any that were thoroughly clean in these areas.
To say that this is a QF issue or QF and low cost carriers alone is a massive stretch I think.