Camelopard
14th November 2007, 22:55
What is wrong with people :mad: ? Please discuss!
Is it the airlines fault for not having enough counter staff? Perhaps people are just too interested in their own lives to care about others?
There are lot's of ways to checkin for flights now with Qantas now, online, kiosks, print boarding cards at work/home, not just standing in a queue.
http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,22762241-27977,00.html# By Robyn Ironside
QANTAS staff have been booed by frustrated passengers at Brisbane Airport after leaving their check-in counters to assist an elderly woman who collapsed and died in the long queue.
The 80-year-old woman is believed to have suffered a heart attack shortly after joining Qantas Club check-in queue on Monday morning.
Two doctors at the terminal provided medical assistance until paramedics arrived 15 minutes later but they were unable to revive her.
Julie Bignell, from the Australian Services Union, said that when staff heard of the woman's plight, two of them went to her aid but were booed when they closed their counters.
"There were only half the number of check-in points operating that morning because six staff had called in sick. The terminal was packed with about 1000 people and no one could move. The public didn't know what was going on," Ms Bignell said.
She said it was not particularly unusual for check-in staff to be booed or even spat on when they finished their shift and closed their counters during busy periods.
"The Qantas terminal at Brisbane Airport is chronically understaffed. We've been trying for two years to have staffing levels improved, but they've actually decreased," she said.
More than 90 staff had left Qantas from the domestic and international terminals since September 2006, and there were "always people off on stress leave", Ms Bignell said.
"It's extremely stressful for staff when they have such big workloads, and now they've got people dying in the queues," she said.
Curtis Davies from Qantas said the airline was employing more than 20 additional staff "to provide even better levels of service".
"We have done a great deal to improve the check-in process, including introducing online check-in and QuickCheck kiosk," said Mr Davies.
But Ms Bignell predicted waiting times at Brisbane Airport would worsen in the upcoming school holiday period.
Is it the airlines fault for not having enough counter staff? Perhaps people are just too interested in their own lives to care about others?
There are lot's of ways to checkin for flights now with Qantas now, online, kiosks, print boarding cards at work/home, not just standing in a queue.
http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,22762241-27977,00.html# By Robyn Ironside
QANTAS staff have been booed by frustrated passengers at Brisbane Airport after leaving their check-in counters to assist an elderly woman who collapsed and died in the long queue.
The 80-year-old woman is believed to have suffered a heart attack shortly after joining Qantas Club check-in queue on Monday morning.
Two doctors at the terminal provided medical assistance until paramedics arrived 15 minutes later but they were unable to revive her.
Julie Bignell, from the Australian Services Union, said that when staff heard of the woman's plight, two of them went to her aid but were booed when they closed their counters.
"There were only half the number of check-in points operating that morning because six staff had called in sick. The terminal was packed with about 1000 people and no one could move. The public didn't know what was going on," Ms Bignell said.
She said it was not particularly unusual for check-in staff to be booed or even spat on when they finished their shift and closed their counters during busy periods.
"The Qantas terminal at Brisbane Airport is chronically understaffed. We've been trying for two years to have staffing levels improved, but they've actually decreased," she said.
More than 90 staff had left Qantas from the domestic and international terminals since September 2006, and there were "always people off on stress leave", Ms Bignell said.
"It's extremely stressful for staff when they have such big workloads, and now they've got people dying in the queues," she said.
Curtis Davies from Qantas said the airline was employing more than 20 additional staff "to provide even better levels of service".
"We have done a great deal to improve the check-in process, including introducing online check-in and QuickCheck kiosk," said Mr Davies.
But Ms Bignell predicted waiting times at Brisbane Airport would worsen in the upcoming school holiday period.