Report: Qantas Crew Sleeps across Economy Seats in full view of passengers.

[HS-TQE]

Exclusive: Qantas crew sleep across seats in front of passengers

New images obtained by Australian Aviation show how the cabin crew of a Qantas A330 were made to sleep across seats in the economy cabin alongside passengers, with a makeshift blanket overhead to block out the light.

australianaviation.com.au

An added note to the below excerpt: According to 9Media, BNE-LAX and selected other A330 flights are currently operated by NZ (Jetconnect) crew.

New images obtained by Australian Aviation show how the cabin crew of a Qantas A330 were made to sleep across seats in the economy cabin alongside passengers, with a makeshift blanket overhead to block out the light.

The photos, which have been verified, were taken on a long haul flight from Brisbane to LA and come as the airline faces thousands of customer complaints over hours long call wait times and queues at airports.

 

[RSD]

https://www.news.com.au/travel/qant...s/news-story/c52f43b418c0b8d723c49e1c8b3a2e93

Qantas seem to find a new way every day to lower our opinions of them!

 

[eastwest101]

I forget the history of those ex-JQ A332s, I assume it was Qantas originally "cheaping out" on the below deck crew rest area's that are optional on the A330 family, then they went to JQi and flew the wings off them with foreign cabin crew and had the curtained area at the rear right for cabin crew, then they returned to QF for all the expensive maintenence to mainline, and now after Covid they retired the B747 fleet, most of the A380 fleet and the B787 lack of so they are short of long range aircraft have meant that these birds are doing long sectors without long range crew rest facilities? All because some bright spark in Qantas decided that curtains were a surefire way to certain Covid death for the cabin crew......

And as usual for Qantas they have also managed to turn it into an IR dispute with the cabin crew, and are now flying cabin crew in from NZ to crew these flights, charming....

Do these A332s have pilot crew rest areas up front or do they assign J class for pilot crew rest? Wonder what CASA thinks about the fatigue aspect of these aircraft on long range duties without adequate crew rest areas?

 

[Must...Fly!]

Do these A332s have pilot crew rest areas up front or do they assign J class for pilot crew rest?

I think 1A (or 1K?) are usually reserved for flight crew rest. And the blocked rows at the back for cabin crew, which are a zero-sum as weight restrictions mean they probably can't sell those economy seats anyway.

Quite why it takes so long to install a curtain railing and some fabric is beyond me, though.

 

[TheInsider]

Middle white section of business is also a tech crew rest - along with 5A.

Also rows 33-37DEFGish are cabin crew rest seats.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Two things come to mind… why can’t the crew use eye masks to block out light?

But more importantly, I wonder if the captain approved the use of blankets given the safety aspect? If emergency oxygen was required how would the crew easily access that with a blanket in the way?

 

[justinbrett]

Two things come to mind… why can’t the crew use eye masks to block out light?

But more importantly, I wonder if the captain approved the use of blankets given the safety aspect? If emergency oxygen was required how would the crew easily access that with a blanket in the way?

One would hope expertly trained cabin crew can penetrate their way through a blanket to get one of the four oxygen masks that drop.

 

[Melburnian1]

I forget the history of those ex-JQ A332s, I assume it was Qantas originally "cheaping out" on the below deck crew rest area's that are optional on the A330 family, then they went to JQi and flew the wings off them with foreign cabin crew and had the curtained area at the rear right for cabin crew, then they returned to QF for all the expensive maintenence to mainline, and now after Covid they retired the B747 fleet, most of the A380 fleet and the B787 lack of so they are short of long range aircraft have meant that these birds are doing long sectors without long range crew rest facilities? All because some bright spark in Qantas decided that curtains were a surefire way to certain Covid death for the cabin crew......

And as usual for Qantas they have also managed to turn it into an IR dispute with the cabin crew, and are now flying cabin crew in from NZ to crew these flights, charming....

Do these A332s have pilot crew rest areas up front or do they assign J class for pilot crew rest? Wonder what CASA thinks about the fatigue aspect of these aircraft on long range duties without adequate crew rest areas?

While in recent years I've usually travelled in J, at times sleeping across four economy class seats (when the cabin had a 2-4-2 arrangement) was reasonably comfortable. With a mattress 'topper' and a larger pillow it'd be better, albeit noisy if passengers adjacent were talking. But so many just watch movies/programs.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

One would hope expertly trained cabin crew can penetrate their way through a blanket to get one of the four oxygen masks that drop.

hence the question!

 

[Daver6]

Two things come to mind… why can’t the crew use eye masks to block out light?

But more importantly, I wonder if the captain approved the use of blankets given the safety aspect? If emergency oxygen was required how would the crew easily access that with a blanket in the way?

The blankets were only across the DE seats. I suspect it would occur to the cabin crew to sit up and reach across to the mask that's dropped from above the F seat and put it on.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The blankets were only across the DE seats. I suspect it would occur to the cabin crew to sit up and reach across to the mask that's dropped from above the F seat and put it on.

Logically, yes. But the question is wether ‘workarounds’ are ok when it concerns the safety systems and procedures of an aircraft. How is the seatbelt configured? Does that still allow someone to sit up and reach the mask in the D seat?

 

[dajop]

How is the seatbelt configured? Does that still allow someone to sit up and reach the mask in the D seat?

Actually that's my biggest problem with lie flat economy beds, the seat belt is not at all comfortable, and I'm not comfortable if I don't wear one. An extender would probably make a world of difference.

 

[Daver6]

Logically, yes. But the question is wether ‘workarounds’ are ok when it concerns the safety systems and procedures of an aircraft. How is the seatbelt configured? Does that still allow someone to sit up and reach the mask in the D seat?

Given people are wearing face masks and you need to take it off to put on an oxygen mask, I really don't think that blanket is an issue here.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Pity it has come to this!
Cheap cheap cheaping QF.

 

[jb747]

It's quite simple really. QF management, who are at home in their beds, don't believe that any crew, be they pilots or cabin, need to get any sleep whilst on a flight. They will, therefore, spend nothing, to improve the situation.

CASA is a totally toothless tiger. The pilots will get no sleep at all in a J seat. Well, some might, but most won't. And they'll still have to go back on duty.

I don't care about the blanket...it's the lack of sleep that's an issue.

 

[stryker]

CASA is a totally toothless tiger.

Bring back Dick Smith (or not)...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Given people are wearing face masks and you need to take it off to put on an oxygen mask, I really don't think that blanket is an issue here.

A face mask is not obstructing the oxygen mask being presented in front of you. A blanket is.

 

[Must...Fly!]

A face mask is not obstructing the oxygen mask being presented in front of you. A blanket is.

Ban eye masks then....

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I'm sorry but this setup has to be illegal, especially for flights to the US which come under the jurisdiction of the FAA. In particular, I draw you, the reader's attention to FAA Flightcrew Member Rest facilities. Per this very handbook the setup does not even qualify as a category 3 rest area and I suspect you need an even higher category rest area for such long flights.

-RooFlyer88

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ban eye masks then....

Fair point! But that would be the introduction of a *new* rule. I’d be surprised if the *existing* rules permitted the deployment or presentation of oxygen masks to be hindered.