Ask The Pilot

[Himeno]

and pax all the way back.

What class?

 

[Awesom Andy]

What class?

I heard that they strap them onto the wings to ensure the maximum number of revenue seats are available for sale.

 

[por930]

What class?

JB, do you pax back in uniform or civvies, considering no flight sectors?

 

[jb747]

JB, do you pax back in uniform or civvies, considering no flight sectors?

I think this has been discussed previously, but it's an award condition that we fly in the highest class on offer. Which means first if the aircraft has it, business or even economy if not.

Whilst I might wear uniform paxing on a domestic sector (though I normally hide it under a jumper), it will be civvies on a long sector. Basically I'm just a passenger like all others.

 

[Dmac6345]

I think this has been discussed previously, but it's an award condition that we fly in the highest class on offer. Which means first if the aircraft has it, business or even economy if not.

Whilst I might wear uniform paxing on a domestic sector (though I normally hide it under a jumper), it will be civvies on a long sector. Basically I'm just a passenger like all others.

I have to ask jb, if in First, do you take full advantage of the tasting menu and the high quality bubbles?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

it will be civvies on a long sector. Basically I'm just a passenger like all others.

QF PJs on long sectors? Or SQ PJs like I wore on QF93 last week?

No just kidding about the SQ PJs bit - I always BYO PJs.

 

[jb747]

I have to ask jb, if in First, do you take full advantage of the tasting menu and the high quality bubbles?

I prefer to eat and drink relatively little. Sitting in one spot for many hours, the last thing I need is too much food. I expect a steak sandwich will be more than enough.

The crew will offer the PJs, but it's poor form to take them. Track suit will do just fine.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

jb the driver we had 2 weeks ago on QF93 was Ian McKernan or something similar - I could not catch his name clearly. I assume you will know him - pls tell him he did a fantastic job - entire ride incl TO and LAND as smooth as a baby's bum - perfect.

 

[Flying Fox]

I think this has been discussed previously, but it's an award condition that we fly in the highest class on offer. Which means first if the aircraft has it, business or even economy if not.

I have to ask jb, if in First, do you take full advantage of the tasting menu and the high quality bubbles?

A couple of follow-on questions -

Do you get to use the Flounge in LHR and DXB? How about the Jlounges domestically?

What happens if F is full of passengers? Does a passenger get down-graded or do you then travel J or Y?

 

[jb747]

A couple of follow-on questions -

Do you get to use the Flounge in LHR and DXB? How about the Jlounges domestically?

When travelling on duty (but at no other times) we can use the business class lounge, irrespective of our actual seating.

What happens if F is full of passengers? Does a passenger get down-graded or do you then travel J or Y?

If F is full of people who actually purchased the F ticket, then I'll catch another aircraft.

 

[CaviAck]

If F is full of people who actually purchased the F ticket, then I'll catch another aircraft.

Could you opt to travel in J or less to make that flight, or is it a hard rule that you travel in the highest cabin and nothing else?

 

[jb747]

Could you opt to travel in J or less to make that flight, or is it a hard rule that you travel in the highest cabin and nothing else?

Could I choose? Yes. Could it be assigned? No.

 

[QF029]

Basically I'm just a passenger like all others.

Except that if required you could land the plane.

 

[jb747]

Except that if required you could land the plane.

Not if I have the bubbly and tasting menu...

 

[por930]

Not if I have the bubbly and tasting menu...

JB, If all hell had broken out up front, I am sure you would ALWAYS be the next best pilot on board, and I for one, would have no reservations what so ever of selecting you as the best pax for the job. Just make sure you go easy on the bubbles and stick with your steak sandwich.

 

[mjt57]

And in a great example of how things change... I was going to LA tomorrow on QF11, but now I'm going to Dubai tonight on the 9, then to London, and pax all the way back.

How much advance notice did you get of the change (and how much is required by either law or EBA)?

As a shiftworker it's always interesting to hear how other people who don't work regular 9-5 jobs manage their sleep and rest breaks.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

JB747 - I was a PAX on last Tuesdays QF5 A330-3xx SYD-SIN service. We were due to depart from SYD at 16:05. We pushed back about 15 minutes late and held in position just off the gate after engine start for about 15 minutes. Eventually went back to the gate under our power. A couple of engineers came on board and ran some "function tests" with the aircraft being declared U/S as it needed to go back to the hangar to be repaired - something to do with a U/S aileron "servo unit". The aircraft was eventually swapped out with a A330-2xx and we departed around 21:30 that evening. The interesting thing was the original tech crew (1 * Capt, 1 * FO) came off off the flight as they would have gone out of hours as they were a 2 tech crew flight. They were replaced by a 3 tech crew complement who were on standby (1 * Capt, 1 * FO, 1 * SO). In a brief conversation with the Captain he was saying it is a relatively common event as he had just come off 8 weeks of standby but had been called out a number of times. He went onto say that while on standby they needed to be ready to go with 2 hours notice. A couple of questions for you: who makes the choice on the intra Asia flight 8-9 hrs whether it is a 2 or 3 tech crew flight? It looks as though even with a relatively short delay a 2 crew operation could go out of hours relatively quickly. Is the 2hrs notice period tough to manage when your on standby? Additionally the Cabin Crew were not replaced on the flight and ended up with a long 16hr+ duty time arriving into SIN at 4:00am (6:00am SYD time) only having to turn around at 2300 local time that evening to take the QF6 service back to SYD. At what point do the regs kick in and say you need to delay the return QF6 service to allow the tech / cabin crew adequate rest? Or do they look to shuffle the available crews around to get the best outcome between crew rest and any minimising schedule delays? Thanks in advance.

 

[jb747]

How much advance notice did you get of the change (and how much is required by either law or EBA)?

As a shiftworker it's always interesting to hear how other people who don't work regular 9-5 jobs manage their sleep and rest breaks.

I didn't have to do this particular flight. I was on a designated no contact day, so I don't have to answer the phone at all. But, as a general rule, if I'm rung, I'll at least have a look at it. In this case, a pilot was unable to continue the trip, which had actually started the previous day. I had about 12 hours notice. It's rare to be less than 5-6 hours.

 

[jb747]

JB747 - I was a PAX on last Tuesdays QF5 A330-3xx SYD-SIN service. We were due to depart from SYD at 16:05. We pushed back about 15 minutes late and held in position just off the gate after engine start for about 15 minutes. Eventually went back to the gate under our power. A couple of engineers came on board and ran some "function tests" with the aircraft being declared U/S as it needed to go back to the hangar to be repaired - something to do with a U/S aileron "servo unit".

The control checks are done just after engine start, so the issue has appeared then.

The aircraft was eventually swapped out with a A330-2xx and we departed around 21:30 that evening. The interesting thing was the original tech crew (1 * Capt, 1 * FO) came off off the flight as they would have gone out of hours as they were a 2 tech crew flight. They were replaced by a 3 tech crew complement who were on standby (1 * Capt, 1 * FO, 1 * SO). In a brief conversation with the Captain he was saying it is a relatively common event as he had just come off 8 weeks of standby but had been called out a number of times.

It's very much luck of the draw. Sometimes you can do many standby duties with nothing happening, whilst at other times you can be very busy. Even within the same rotation, some people have all the luck (whichever way you want to look at it).

He went onto say that while on standby they needed to be ready to go with 2 hours notice.

The callout to launch time isn't two hours, but rather the time to arrive at the airport should be about that. Launch is 3 hours, but mostly people can do it faster...especially if scheduling have been on the ball and made the call early.

A couple of questions for you: who makes the choice on the intra Asia flight 8-9 hrs whether it is a 2 or 3 tech crew flight? It looks as though even with a relatively short delay a 2 crew operation could go out of hours relatively quickly.

The odds are played a bit here. Some flights and times of day are subject to regular disruptions, and so planning them to the last minute with a 2 man crew might be foolish. They have a long history to look back on for what has worked, and what hasn't. Basically though, if the flight is going to exceed 8 hours flight time, then you have to have an extra pilot. If the flight is under that, but the weather is such that a diversion is possible, then it's also a good idea. Dubai London flights are mostly 2 man, but an extra appears depending upon the Europe weather. Fleet managers keep an eye on this.

Is the 2hrs notice period tough to manage when your on standby?

You need to be wary of just what you do. You can't just disappear off the grid as you go for a hike. Not really an issue though.

Additionally the Cabin Crew were not replaced on the flight and ended up with a long 16hr+ duty time arriving into SIN at 4:00am (6:00am SYD time) only having to turn around at 2300 local time that evening to take the QF6 service back to SYD. At what point do the regs kick in and say you need to delay the return QF6 service to allow the tech / cabin crew adequate rest? Or do they look to shuffle the available crews around to get the best outcome between crew rest and any minimising schedule delays?

Cabin crew operate under very different rules to the pilots. Basically their rules are whatever the union has negotiated, whilst the pilots' are legislated. Their contract would cover this sort of delay, and the slip times needed, and it's up to scheduling to organise the people appropriately. The 19 hour slip is quite likely legal though.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I think this has been discussed previously, but it's an award condition that we fly in the highest class on offer. Which means first if the aircraft has it, business or even economy if not.

Now we know where all the F award & upgrade seats are going.