How many more times must international pax, due to an emergency, be stranded on the ground in AUS?

[Daver6]

To have standby options in place at all these remote airports involves a cost. Yet another tax will be added to all international flights. Or once in a blue moon a couple hundred people will be inconvenienced for a few hours.

Yes, I'm sure it sucked being stuck on a plane. It's hardly the end of the world though. You know what's worse? The poor person having the medical emergency. Let's put things into perspective here.

 

[Quickstatus]

24/7 ECR = endovascular clot retrieval (insert a tube in the groin and pull out the blood clot in the brain)
See here for the hospitals providing ECR and/or thrombolysis

standby options

At least have an action plan. Just like all airports have an aircraft accident, fire, other emergency action plan
Action plans are great.
Preplanning means everything is written down and agreed upon and importantly practiced before the event

In 2023, there are smart phones. eGate functionality can be on an app?

 

[Daver6]

At least have an action plan. Just like all airports have an aircraft accident, fire, other emergency action plan
Action plans are great.
Preplanning means everything is written down and agreed upon and importantly practiced before the event

In 2023, there are smart phones. eGate functionality can be on an app?

Do we know for certain there was no action plan?

As much as everyone thinks software development for apps and servers is free and they're free to run, they're not. So I have to ask, is the cost of implementing and maintaining this really worth it?

How does an eGate app help non-citizens? What about Customs?

 

[justinbrett]

Do we know for certain there was no action plan?

As much as everyone thinks software development for apps and servers is free and they're free to run, they're not. So I have to ask, is the cost of implementing and maintaining this really worth it?

How does an eGate app help non-citizens? What about Customs?

There doesn't have to be a plan to process pax into the country.

There should be a plan to get pax off the aircraft, into a segregated area of the terminal (or even another facility on the airfield) with access to proper toilets and essential catering. Had the delay gone on much longer they would have had to do it anyway.

That kind of plan has zero cost until it's implemented. Alice Springs is not a tiny airport, and I imagine they have such a plan (the airport is approved for international charters and they do have the boneyard there), they just didn't implement it.

 

[drron]

And some not capital cities !!!
We do ECR here 24/7

But it's 5 years since I worked in the HNE area. The NSW Medical board had decided in their wisdom to get rid of medicos over 70 particularly males. the had a go at me twice. once they got their facts wrong and the second time I had only commenced work the day after my supposed wrong doing which coincidentally was not arranging thrombolysis on a stroke patient.
Thank goodness to the MDA whose young barrister wrote the most scathing letter to the medical board suggesting I had a strong case for defamation and would proceed unless a formal apology was given. Unusually for the NSW Public service it arrived within 24 hours. I wasn't going to give them another chance.

 

[dajop]

Had the delay gone on much longer they would have had to do it anyway.
.

Don't know about access to catering, but didn't the originally posted article suggest they were eventually allowed into a partioned area of the airport...

 

[Quickstatus]

Do we know for certain there was no action plan

Don't know but by the sounds of it, 7hrs onboard an aircraft not going anywhere sounded like not a very good plan , if there was one.

There might be various other reasons why such a plan might be required
Lets take the edge case - an international flight diverts to ASP because of fire indication (using the Baku event as an example)
Lets say its a 787 or an A350.
Obviously the aircraft would evacuate either via stairs or slides depending on urgency.
ASP could say sorry no immigration available - have to wait onboard.
The captain could just easily push the evacuate button if they believe it is more risky to sit onboard.

So what would ASP do in that instance. It is maybe the geographical centre of Australia with no other airports with suitable runways within 500nm = about 1hr flight. A lot of international flights flyover ASP.
A plan would be a good start.

.....

I don't remember the QF72 passengers landing in Learmonth having to wait 7hrs on board...

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm in firm agreement with @justinbrett ( ) and @Quickstatus and I've argued the same for Australian international flights overseas.

You arrange an agent at ports likely or possibly to become unscheduled stopover points along your regular flight paths. Agent (company) gets paid a small retainer to be available, but most remuneration kicks in in case of activation.

Agent must have things such as hotels, busses, government services (customs, immigration) etc etc etc on speed dial to mobilise as needed when advised by the airline. And has worked with the airport to know what secure-type areas can be available in an emergency, and how pax will be watered and fed if they are going to be there for a while. Also to meet pax if they go to the terminal and advise what's happening.

Yes there will be a cost. Put a few bucks on the YQ and at least treat your passengers decently.

ASP isn't an unlikely place for a plane to divert to in a medical or engineering-type emergency. Just now:

 

[kookaburra75]

How does an eGate app help non-citizens? What about Customs?

There is one Customs person based in Alice Spings. They do the inspection on the US Air Force flights that come in to bring materials and supplies for the Pine Gap 'Joint' base. However, they aren't set up to handle a plane load of people.

The Alice Springs Airport Operations Specifications, mention Aus Border Force and Customs (p6). Although "... A four-week lead time is required for these services to be arranged for incoming charters or services"

https://www.alicespringsairport.com.au/node/1294/attachment

 

[Quickstatus]

is the cost of implementing and maintaining this really worth it?

Dont know but the Guvment is progressing rolling out IT replacing a lot of government functions

How does an eGate app help non-citizens? What about Customs?

It doesn't but at least many?/some? would be processed and be allowed out of detention for at least the period while they wait for a replacement flight. Maybe even go to a nearby hotel. This leaves those who cannot be processed that way a bit more room.

All the checked luggage are still onboard the aircraft. Customs not required.
A plan could easily include quarantine check of carry on luggage of the people who pass a eGate smart app.

But First is a plan to secure the passengers away from the aircraft

 

[Quickstatus]

The Alice Springs Airport Operations Specificaions

Maybe they should add in a section "Diversion of international flights to ASP - plan of action"

 

[dajop]

Diversions to ASP have happened ...

Passengers recount 'hell' as Malaysia Airlines plane diverts to Alice Springs

People report loud banging noises aboard MH122 bound for Kuala Lumpur from Sydney before it was forced to land in Alice Springs

www.theguardian.com

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1301199773397553

Or according to ATSB, should have happened ..

Engine failure involving Airbus A330, 9M-XXD, 445 km south-east of Alice Springs, South Australia, on 16 August 2016 | ATSB

www.atsb.gov.au

 

[Pushka]

Don't know about access to catering, but didn't the originally posted article suggest they were eventually allowed into a partioned area of the airport...

Yes they were. It existed. I heard it took that long to get police in to escort the passengers. When they finally arrived in Melbourne their luggage didn't. One woman said they arrived around 7.30am. They got off the plane at around 2.30. A new plane arrived later in the afternoon and they didn't fly out until 7.30 pm. Approx.

 

[justinbrett]

So what would ASP do in that instance. It is maybe the geographical centre of Australia with no other airports with suitable runways within 500nm = about 1hr flight. A lot of international flights flyover ASP.

Ayers Rock airport actually has a longer runway than Alice and only 180NM away.

However very few services at Yulara so your point remains valid.

 

[drron]

The problem with any action plan is that it requires humans to carry it out. And at 7.20 am at ASP I doubt any one senior enough in the NT Police or ASP staff was available to action that plan.
From Media reports it was the delay getting police to escort the passengers to the secure area in the terminal.

Maybe all LCC operations should have an action plan to not be near ASP early on a Sunday morning.

 

[Lynda2475]

There wouldnt exactly be a surplus of Police in Alice Springs not with all the issues they are having atm.

 

[Pushka]

Just reported they were only removed from the plane when the air conditioning failed and it was extremely hot. It’s Alice Springs in summer.

 

[Warragul]

It's not rocket science.

Immigration would have everyone's details upon checkin for this flight. Anything from an Australian passport holder to ETA to full entry visa.

Airports of a sufficient size should have a policy in place for situations like this.

True enough, but it's more than an Immigration issue. Plus passports have to be checked physically.

 

[Pushka]

True enough, but it's more than an Immigration issue. Plus passports have to be checked physically.

They would simply have transported everyone from plane to secure area and then back to plane. If they were wanting to absolutely confirm all that then something as simple as a stamp on the hand would confirm passengers. They were never going to be passing through immigration.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

ASP does not have immi facilities, no smart gate, no ABF officers stationed there, nowt.
There would of course be the hospital with staff who could treat the "emergency case", or get RFDS to fly them to the nearest major city hospital.
The plane aircond problem, sad that it happened, of course made it worst.