Poor Quality Asian Maintenance Of Qantas Planes Blamed

[Naim 6]

May 19, 2008 10:18 AM

 

Poor Quality Asian Maintenance Of Qantas Planes Blamed

 

MELBOURNE, May 19 (Bernama) -- Poor quality Asian maintenance of Qantas planes is compromising plane safety, Qantas maintenance staff have alleged.

 

The accusation follows an incident last week in which the airline aborted a domestic flight during take-off because two plane tyres burst.

 

It is the second time Qantas tyres have burst on take-off in the past two months and one of a number of recent safety scares to tarnish the airline's once enviable safety record.

 

Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) federal secretary Steve Purvinas told Australian website ninemsn that he is concerned whether Qantas aircraft are delivering fully on safety.

 

"A lot of work has been outsourced to other companies and facilities in Asia," he argued.

 

Purvinas said Qantas staff have been raising concerns with the Association about the standard of maintenance work on aircraft that have returned from Asian facilities.

 

"ALAEA is receiving numerous reports from members about further quality deficiencies on aircraft recently maintained in Singapore of which we are currently awaiting further details," he said.

 

Qantas did not specifically address ninemsn's questions about whether staff have raised these maintenance concerns with the airline and if the airline is taking any action.

 

However, Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said in a statement: "It is no coincidence that when the union is on a crusade for more money it decides to play the 'safety card'.

 

"Safety is our top priority - we never have and never will compromise on this."

 

-- BERNAMA

[LeeCH 0]

Qantas.....enviable safety record?? You must be kidding me.....someone must have forgotten Bangkok. And also a recent incident where the engineer/fueller pump in the wrong mix onto aircraft systems. Blame is easy huh.......look at your own backyard folks.

[S V Choong 4]

There you go, generalisation in the media again. Asia as we know of it, is a pretty large continent.

[Raziamizan Ramli 0]

 

Hello everyone,

Heheh.. I have to agree. I just got off the phone with an Australian customer.

He had computer problems, so he cleaned out his hard drive.. with water and soap!

Then calls us up and wonders why his computer's not okay!

 

Sometimes I wonder.. are these Aussies for real? Blaming everyone else for their problems?

 

[Ignatius 4]

Dont you know the Aussies have the tendency of over reacting... They can finger point you with a laser pointer at the tip of their index finger hehe

[Nick C 0]

Let's not forget the incident where Nitrogen was used instead of Oxygen.

 

Steve Purvinas is a known troublemaker, he instigated the Qantas engineer strike which was averted last thursday. Isn't that compromising safety?

[Ivan L. 0]

I believe this is part of the union tactics to gain attention. Qantas have shifted some of their maintenance overseas and many are unhappy with this decision. Hence, they are trying to discredit the overseas maintenance companies.

 

I do have sympathy over potential job losses in Australia, however this kind of strategy is absolutely digusting. It's also like saying that Asian airlines are unsafe. I find that the Australian media is often very biased, love to exaggerate the issue, and have very insular view.

[BC Tam 2]

..... I find that the Australian media is often very biased, love to exaggerate the issue, and have very insular view.

Oh man, come have a taste of what our Malaysian media has to offer !!

[Mohd Saat 0]

Guess what, the Asian MRO are staff by a very large population of Aussies who couldn't find work back home or have been setup or supported by Aussies at some point in their history.

 

In any case, Australia has very strct airworthiness rules similar to the British CAA system. Whenever maintenance is done, a QF QA Inspector is always there to oversee. It is teh QF personnel that signs the certiificate of maintenance. So go figure it....

[Louis L. 2]

Poor quality Asian maintenance of Qantas planes is compromising plane safety, Qantas maintenance staff have alleged.

 

i somehow felt disturbed with the "asian" word there ........ it is like pointing toward the entire asian aviation industry ....... if it is so ..... we can c bursted tyre everywhere is asia since maintenance at asia is so poor <_>

[Samuel Chy 0]

i somehow felt disturbed with the "asian" word there ........ it is like pointing toward the entire asian aviation industry ....... if it is so ..... we can c bursted tyre everywhere is asia since maintenance at asia is so poor <_>

 

did ASean MRO did maintenance job to the tyre? or our hot weather make their tyre harden, which caused easier burst?

[Ignatius 4]

did ASean MRO did maintenance job to the tyre? or our hot weather make their tyre harden, which caused easier burst?

 

I think they used pirated version of the tyreslah.. haha.. cut cost

 

[Samuel Chy 0]

I think they used pirated version of the tyreslah.. haha.. cut cost

 

not to support the environment friendly comcept, "recycle"?

[Simon 3]

They use tyre 'celup' la.....

 

Agreed what you say Loius...

[Mohd Saat 0]

Let's not forget the incident where Nitrogen was used instead of Oxygen.

 

 

If you are referring to the gas used to fill the tyres, then the correct gas IS Nitrogen. Oxygen is flamable or support combustion.

 

I think there is an error in your statement. I stand corrected if you are meaning some other use of the gas.

 

They use tyre 'celup'

 

 

ALL airlines use tyre "celup".

 

Rethreading is allowed if the carcas is in good condition but there is a maximum allowable number of times the tyre can be rethread.

Edited May 19, 2008 by Mohd Saat

[Nik H. 3]

They use tyre 'celup' la.....

 

Agreed what you say Loius...

 

OFF TOPIC; All airlines use tayar celup. No big deal la.....

[Kee Hooi Yen 0]

I believe this is part of the union tactics to gain attention. Qantas have shifted some of their maintenance overseas and many are unhappy with this decision. Hence, they are trying to discredit the overseas maintenance companies.

 

I do have sympathy over potential job losses in Australia, however this kind of strategy is absolutely digusting. It's also like saying that Asian airlines are unsafe. I find that the Australian media is often very biased, love to exaggerate the issue, and have very insular view.

 

Yes, i agree with you. This is part the union tactics. Qantas Maintenance Engineers are currently negotiating hard with Qantas for 5% pay rise

 

 

Maybe the air in the tyre is Asian, not Australian air....

[Yusoff 1]

Dont you know the Aussies have the tendency of over reacting... They can finger point you with a laser pointer at the tip of their index finger hehe

Remember MH125 in PER which had it closed for 12 hrs over a few boxes of bunga telurs....?

"funny sound", "THEY'RE BOMBS!", "TAKE COVER!!", "BOMB SQUAD!!!!"

 

Gibby, no offence.

 

[Nick C 0]

If you are referring to the gas used to fill the tyres, then the correct gas IS Nitrogen. Oxygen is flamable or support combustion.

 

I think there is an error in your statement. I stand corrected if you are meaning some other use of the gas.

 

Refer to this article from last year - http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/fatal-gas-...7740131515.html

[Yusoff 1]

Owh... So all airlines are using rethreaded tyres... i didnt know that...

Edited May 19, 2008 by Yusoff

[Simon 3]

But i think the tyre 'celup' is diff from what the lorries are using

[Keith T 2]

As much as I hate to see Australian jobs being offshored, and as much as I'd like to see our unions lobby hard against such offshoring, I think any campaign ought to be based on facts, not half truths.

 

Having worked for a trade union myself I believe that it is the union's job to secure the best possible working conditions for its members. In that regard the Qantas unions are simply doing their job to protect their members' collective interests. But the line needs to be drawn somewhere and deliberate slander is not the right way to go about it.

 

I believe this also arises out of the bitter dispute that's currently in play between the engineers' union and Qantas.

 

Dont you know the Aussies have the tendency of over reacting... They can finger point you with a laser pointer at the tip of their index finger hehe

 

Excuse me?? Gross overgeneralisation, much?

Edited May 19, 2008 by Keith T

[Min 6]

this is ridiculous, yes they all overeacting. last time tyre burst in LA, is that because of asian engineers? and qantas had to rely on batteries in 30mins to land in bangkok because of the power failure, and is that asian engineers as well?? alamakk, berak tepi jalan tak nak mengaku..!! aduuuhhh!!

bunga telur suspected bomb thread? what's next? sometime aussie make me laugh a lot..... they're funny community..

 

and for your info, qantas having trouble with short pilot in Australia, they have to look around for pilots at aviation college, private aviation school and everywhere really, and dont forget, they looking for traffic controller as well...

[Mohd Saat 0]

But i think the tyre 'celup' is diff from what the lorries are using

 

I can assure you the process of rethreading is the same albeit for aviation tyres, the QA is more stringent.

 

 

I dont know what is the basis of the allegation by the Association to link the tyre burst to Asian MRO.

 

 

But I do suspect that it is not a case of overaction but one that is politically motivated out of self interest. But being the redneck they are, this is to be expected. The level of quality of maintenance and the competency achioved by Asain MRO added by the still lower manpower cost will alwys make Asia an attractive proposition.

[Mohd Saat 0]

Refer to this article from last year - http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/fatal-gas-...7740131515.html

 

You are correct, the Nitrogen was pumped into the O2 system by so called "Never Can Do No Wrong" Aussie engineers.

 

 

My bad - it should be spelt retreads not rethread.

Edited May 19, 2008 by Mohd Saat