Xmas Fesitivities 2013 (A non AFF event)

[JessicaTam]

I don't think it was about choosing; the Syd event was planned well ahead of Melbourne, we just picked up the left-over people who each had their own reasons for not attending the Syd do (for me, I couldn't justify the cost to fly up for dinner). And for the record, the MEL event has been on the last weekend before Christmas for the last few years.

Agreed.

It was a good two months after the SYD event was advertised before I posted anything re:MEL, and the SYD event was fairly well subscribed at that point.

I chose the date as a chance to have get-together before Christmas. It was certainly not a case of 'AFF's deliberately chosen date'. I work shift work and the date suited me. Period.

 

[samh004]

But it seems disingenuous for AFF to smarm about Melbourne being an alternative and to say "I’m sure that everyone at both get-togethers had a great time" when AFF's deliberately chosen date ensured that nobody could attend both get-togethers if that is what they would have liked to have done.

I wouldn't have looked at them as competing at all. SYD was organised first and the track record has been for the munitalP Do's to be the one to go to, and be seen at. But as always, there has to be a cap on numbers, so you don't get a buffet... and the alternative, second choice, was MEL. That's not to say the MEL event was any less interesting, but the idea I'm sure was not to attend both. Anyone that had that idea had the wrong idea I'm afraid, and if you got to SYD you clearly booked early and got first pick.

It's like going to a music festival with many stages, to get through all the acts. You're of course going to head for the headline act, but it might be too busy already, so you choose another one. Unfortunately the stages are too far apart to see together.

 

[straitman]

That's as may be, Straitman, but why did AFF set their event for the exact same evening as the Facebook FFA group held theirs in Sydney? To me this seems less about an "alternative" to suit some Melbourne folk and more about competition to make Melbourne AFF members choose between the AFF and FFA dinners.

I was unable to attend the Sydney Facebook FFA dinner so I do not have a vested interest either way.

But it seems disingenuous for AFF to smarm about Melbourne being an alternative and to say "I’m sure that everyone at both get-togethers had a great time" when AFF's deliberately chosen date ensured that nobody could attend both get-togethers if that is what they would have liked to have done.

SteveJohnson,

People have answered that already so I don't need to elaborate. At a personal level I already stated I was going to be in Melbourne and staying at HSW on 21st December so the dinner was a bonus for me.

 

[medhead]

In reality tours of A380s and HSW are all good and fine, but the event to be seen at is the Christmas Adelaide event.

 

[straitman]

In reality tours of A380s and HSW are all good and fine, but the event to be seen at is the Christmas Adelaide event.

Have a great time and I'm sorry we cannot attend.

 

[nlagalle]

In reality tours of A380s and HSW are all good and fine, but the event to be seen at is the Christmas Adelaide event.

Which church are you having the do in medhead? That's the centrepiece of rAdelaide!

 

[JessicaTam]

Which church are you having the do in medhead? That's the centrepiece of rAdelaide!

There will be no churches tonight! Although I may have to pray for mercy tomorrow.

 

[nlagalle]

anyway back to the topic..

here are a couple more pics...

 

[JessicaTam]

I expect it would feel weird boarding the plane on the 'wrong' side.

 

[kpc]

I expect it would feel weird boarding the plane on the 'wrong' side.

It was...I have never boarded a plane from the R) side before!

 

[Buzzard]

There will be no churches tonight! Although I may have to pray for mercy tomorrow.

Anything wrong with this church Church-The-Nightclub

 

[rogerkambah]

It was...I have never boarded a plane from the R) side before!

Only light aircraft. B727s could be boarded centrally through the rear airstairs.

 

[markis10]

Only light aircraft. B727s could be boarded centrally through the rear airstairs.

I would not class a Tristar as a light aircraft.

Photos: Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar 1 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Traditionally self loading freight enter via port but even today there are gates at various airports where starboard boarding is possible.

 

[rogerkambah]

I would not class a Tristar as a light aircraft.

Photos: Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar 1 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Traditionally self loading freight enter via port but even today there are gates at various airports where starboard boarding is possible.

Maybe I should have separated the 2 sentences more. To be explicit I have enplaned and deplaned on light a/c, such as Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, Piper Cherokee 180 via the RHS.

A Boeing 727 could be entered centrally by the rear airstairs. I agree with you that a Lockheed 1011 is not a light a/c.

 

[tuapekastar]

I concur - I couldn't make Sydney due to work commitments, and so Melbourne was a nearby alternative (unfortunately didn't make that one either!) - so conspiracy theorists please remove your tin-foil hats

Oh so correct. Saturday nights leading up to Xmas are in fairly short supply. I am active on both AFF and FFA and a happy camper on both (others who are not have their reasons, and that is fine, stuff happens). I attended the FFA SYD event (I have attended and enjoyed all of them over the last few years at MEL, OOL and SYD) and a couple of preceding weekends I attended AFF events, and enjoyed them as well. And see no reason why I will not continue to do so, on both sites.

The notion that 21 Dec was deliberately picked to be 'in competition' with the FFA event is ever so off the mark.

Anyway, sorry to have spoken, but I could not help having my 2c worth.

 

[tuapekastar]

On a more serious note - why does everyone feel that they need to hurl mud on this issue.

I am a happy member of both AFF and FFA (and many other travel forums).



Let's keep both groups / forums about talking about TRAVEL... If you have enough time to bare ill-will then clearly you aren't travelling enough... GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE AND FLY SOMEWHERE!!!!!

I'm not game enough to bare anything around AFFers/FFAers. :shock:

 

[kpc]

B727s could be boarded centrally through the rear airstairs.

I do remember using these central rear airstairs

 

[JessicaTam]

I do remember using these central rear airstairs

Don't worry, so do I.

 

[Hvr]

I'm not game enough to bare anything around AFFers/FFAers. :shock:

I think we're both in the category of not baring to ensure other people don't remove their eyes with extreme prejudice. :mrgreen:

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: MEL dinner/drinks Sat 21 December

There is a gathering in SYD on the 21st that I am unable to get to,

OT warning.........

From the "gathering in SYD", I'd like to say I am pleased to hear the MEL event went well and as there doesn't seem to be a SYD gathering thread that I can find, may I just say our SYD event was once again a pleasure to attend. MunitalP and Co have outdone themselves with the QF tour (sorry I cannot comment further about that as I was doing a "Rocks market tour" arranged by my wife, with a Christmas nativity theme where I got to play the "beast of burden" hauling gifts....although I don't think we had gold, frankincense and myrrh on board.......but I could be wrong, she bought just about everything else), but I can say a big thank you to the QF reps who attended along with what appeared to be our major prizegiver (AusBT? but please correct me if I'm wrong there) and of course Mark for fingering all the cash and Gordon for another big effort with fireworks to boot!

I have to say, the fillet steak I had that night, would rank up there as the best steak I have ever had (given my memory can let me down at times) but it was cooked to perfection, was tender, tasty and juicy and of course the company was once more, fabulous. One thing I always thoroughly enjoy about meeting and dining with fellow frequent flyers, is the sheer diversity of the group. What a great mix that just.....well, works! There is never a boring conversation to be had and although we all come from different backgrounds, different jobs, different interests, different likes and different dislikes, we all share a common interest, whether for work or pleasure or both and that is of course.......flying and travel.

Thank you to all who attended both events and uhmmm, bring on the next one! :mrgreen: