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www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25760075-5017962,00.html
Fed-up passengers revolt over flight delay
By Allen Newton
The Sunday Times
July 10, 2009

Outrage ... passengers were stranded overnight after their Qantas flight failed to leave.

Police called to Perth's domestic airport

Passengers "were screaming and yelling"

Qantas flight was hit by lightning

POLICE have been called to Perth's domestic airport to calm outraged passengers stranded overnight after their Qantas flight failed to leave.

One radio listener, John, told radio station 6PR the A330 that passengers were screaming and yelling and Qantas staff called police after ongoing delays.

He said the aircraft had been hit by lightning on its way to Perth from Sydney and had been grounded until engineering advice could be obtained from France.

Qantas confirmed the aircraft had been subject to a lightning strike and was ruled unfit to fly.

Passengers claimed they were kept in the dark with no communication from Qantas, leading to frustration and anger.

Channel 7 reporter John Taylor said all media had been cleared from the terminal by Australian Federal Police amid rowdy scenes.

Just before 8am, after waiting all night, passengers were told the flight had been cancelled and advised to go home and book new flights after 10am.

"A mate of mine has been stuck overnight, being told every hour that it will be another hour until they leave,” one Perth Now reader said.

"She has slept on the floor of the terminal, when she could have gone home and come back. 18 hour flight to Melbourne? No thanks.''

The passengers were angry that there was no provision for them to re-book their flights at the airport.

A Qantas aircraft has now been arranged to take the passengers to Melbourne via Sydney at 2.30pm, which will means the flight will have taken 18 hours.

Qantas claims school holidays had meant there was a high demand on flights and it had been difficult to arrange alternatives.

***

Passengers angry over Perth airport Qantas flight delay
PerthNow

Allen Newton

July 10, 2009 07:33am
POLICE were called to Perth's Domestic Airport early today to calm angry, screaming passengers stranded overnight after their Qantas flight failed to leave.

A radio listener, John, who called in to radio station 6PR, said the A330 aircraft had been hit by lightning on its way to Perth from Sydney and had been grounded until engineering advice could be obtained from France.

Qantas confirmed the aircraft had been subject to a lightning strike.

Channel 9 reporter Matt Tinney told 6PR he had been evicted from the terminal when he tried to interview passengers who have been waiting for seven hours for their flight to Melbourne.

Channel 7 reporter John Taylor said all media had been cleared from the terminal by Australian Federal Police amid rowdy scenes.

Passengers claim they have been kept in the dark with no communication from Qantas, although food vouchers were starting to be handed out early this morning.

Notices at the airport said boarding was due to begin at 7.10am, but at 7.20am there was till no sign of passengers getting on the plane.

But just before 8am, after waiting all night, passengers were told the flight had been cancelled.

They were told to collect their bags and go home and to contact Qantas by phone after 10am to book new flights.

Channel 10 sport reporter Caty Price had been booked on the flight and told 6PR she had been forced to sleep on the floor at the terminal.

One woman, a keen Collingwood supporter, said she had been denied the chance to fly to Melbourne to attend her first AFL game, missing the blockbuster clash with the Western Bulldogs tonight.

A PerthNow reader said: "A mate of mine has been stuck overnight, being told every hour that it will be another hour until they leave.

"She has slept on the floor of the terminal, when she could have gone home and come back. 18 hour flight to Melbourne? No thanks.''

A Qantas spokesman said lightning was not a danger to passengers or crew but a series of mandatory inspections had to be carried out before the aircraft could resume service.

``These have now been carried out by our engineers and they have determined that further work is required before the aircraft is serviceable,'' Qantas said in a statement.

Qantas cancelled the flight and sent passengers home or to hotels but many were angry after being forced to spend the night in the airport.

One passenger, John, said many passengers were upset and Qantas had not communicated the situation to them well.

''(Qantas) kept changing the time - departing at 1.00pm, 1.20pm, 2.00pm, 2.15pm and when we asked them what was going on, they said it was out of their hands,'' John told 6PR.

Up to 80 people were yelling at the Qantas counter and police diffused the situation, John said.

A replacement aircraft was being organised to fly passengers from Perth to Melbourne at 2.35pm (WST), Qantas said. That will mean the flight will have taken 18 hours.

``We apologise for the inconvenience to our customers but our priority is always safety before schedule,'' the airline said.

John said unruly passengers were screaming and yelling and Qantas staff had again called police.

The passengers were angry that there was no provision for them to re-book their flights at the airport.

Qantas claims school holidays had meant there was a high demand on flights and it had been diffricult to arrange alternatives.

A Qantas spokesman said flights would be delayed throughout the day.

***

www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/10/2622905.htm?section=justin
Qantas to compensate stranded passengers

Qantas passengers whose flight from Perth to Melbourne was cancelled after their plane was struck by lightning will receive compensation from the airline.

The Airbus A330 was struck by lightning on its way from Sydney to Perth last night.

The plane had been due to leave Perth just after midnight and passengers were forced to wait for hours before the flight was rescheduled for this afternoon.

Qantas Group executive Lyell Strambi says he is deeply sorry for the delay, but safety must come first.

"If I was going on my holidays and my journey was delayed, I too would be cross about the situation," he said.

"A rolling delay frustrates people no end, no matter how much you communicate with them."

Earlier today, the Australian Federal Police had to calm angry passengers, left stranded at the airport overnight.

One stranded passenger, Anthony, told ABC 720's Mornings program that Qantas provided little information and he is still not sure what was happening.

Another passenger told the ABC the airline handled the situation appallingly and did very little to accommodate people from out of town.

Qantas say while lightning strikes are common and pose no safety threat, the plane has been grounded for a precautionary maintenance inspection.