JQ29 A330-200 Engine problem 10 Hour delay - Replace fan Blades?

[ethernet]

On Thursday 29 July JQ29 MEL->BKK was delayed 10 hours :evil:. Seems some fan blades needed work.
Is this normal? and could they have estimated the delay better? Anyone know the real story?

Upon check-in they said it was a fan-belt and the 14:00 flight would now be 17:00?
and around 17:00 they announced a 2nd delay to 2300, and as I recall, plane got off the ground at exactly midnight. At that point the story changed to fan blades, not a fanbelt, and those that heeded the call for a customs blowback? got a a 2nd $5 meals voucher and instructions for a $100 voucher (well some did anyway). And free meals on the flight for all, meal refunds for those who paid.

Observations:
SMS notifications were not timely, as I believe they knew this when the plane was winging it from Singapore. Never found out the reason: somehow the PR people thing 'Technical' or 'Mechanical' is as much as you will know. Condescending.

I'm not too beat up about this, and doing what they did, earned brownie points as I know what Tiger would have said/done. No probs on return flight.

 

[markis10]

Had to call out the RACQ to change a fanbelt on my Global Express last week after the engine stalled, at least thats what was reported by News.com, the article featured the picture of a 717 for some reason .

On a more serious note any unexpected issues can be hard to guess when it comes to guessing delays, recently I had an air con failure on a 767 ex DRW on push back, the captain was able to guess what was going to happen and how long it would take because he had seen it before, thats not always the case with some failures.

 

[munitalP]

And there's nothing like a fan blade through the wing rupturing the fuel tank to ruin your day either....

 

[LiamR]

I can only echo what others have said.

Be happy that the Captain and appropriate engineers took the time to have the fix done properly, delays are a part of air travel so you just need to take them as they come. I'd rather be on the ground, wishing I was in the sky, than in the sky wishing I was on the ground!

No airline handles delays well, the best you can do is give out some food and try to keep people updated.

 

[samh004]

Fan belt and Fan blade sound similar, perhaps the check-in staff simply got it wrong, not that they should have but it could be a reason for a differing story.

 

[markis10]

Fan belt and Fan blade sound similar, perhaps the check-in staff simply got it wrong, not that they should have but it could be a reason for a differing story.

There are no fan belts in turbines, the rubber cannot stand the heat

 

[serfty]

There are no fan belts in turbines, the rubber cannot stand the heat

Who said the belt was rubber?

I have come across both metal and rubber "Timing Chains" in relation to auto-mobile engines.

Then again, I doubt a chain would have the long lasting attributes required of a modern jet engine.

 

[goldy]

No airline handles delays well, the best you can do is give out some food and try to keep people updated.

But why not? What is so hard about it? Inform the passengers that there is a problem and the estimated time to fix it. If you know that it will take longer, advise them at the earliest opportunity. I personally can handle anything, except bullsh%t, for which I have no tolerance.

On a recent AA flight in F from MIA to DFW, I was in the OW lounge in terminal E because they have food/drinks and WIFI which the Admirals club in terminal D does not. Flight was showing on time and so I left the lounge with enough time to get to the gate in Terminal D. On arriving in Terminal D, the flight was now delayed by 1 hour. So I went into the Admirals club only to be told that the flight has finished boarding and was 1 of the last 2 pax. The agent organised one of the retard carts to drive me the 4 or so gates. The gate agent was yelling and screaming at me saying everyones on board and they were about to start looking for my bags. Bear in mind I was still 1 hour early from the revised ETA. Once on board, I sat, and waited, and sat and waied, in the heat with no water until I finally asked an FA what was going on and was told the Pilots hadn't arrived from an incoming flight. I sat on that plane for 45 minutes, when i could have been sat comfortably in the lounge

Boy was I pissed off!!

I dont see why airlines are incapable of running a tighter ship!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The agent organised one of the retard carts to drive me the 4 or so gates.

Did you mean an electric buggy?

 

[Sprucegoose]

And there's nothing like a fan blade through the wing rupturing the fuel tank to ruin your day either....

Especially when you don't have five experienced pilots on board!

 

[ethernet]

But why not? What is so hard about it? snip snip
I dont see why airlines are incapable of running a tighter ship!

Exactly. C is for communication, and I believe pilots are now trained to be assertive, not blindly obedient and or passive / submissive to the captain. Why are these 'updates' so tardy. Why can't they SMS slow pax that have gone missing? They are not thinking. Why do they allow the airport to post false /and or misleading information (ACCC). Why not send someone to the gate with a megaphone to give an update, because clearly the airports internal information display system is not doing the job.

My understanding is fan blades normally do not fail, so when they cause worries, they get inspected closely. Was volcano ash a factor, or a sensor, or something else?

I respect Jetstar's captain to make the unpopular call, rather than overlook it. The way they handled the incident and kept it out the news was a good call (IMHO). Now looks like the PR people saying no need to inform, 'as we got away with it' - as opposed to honesty and directness.

 

[goldy]

Did you mean an electric buggy?

Yes. Sorry, that was a tad offensive. I apologise.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I respect Jetstar's captain to make the unpopular call, rather than overlook it.

The pilot also has a self interest in the matter!!

goldy - thanks