Maintaining a Stellar Record

With the airline industry currently in a period of relative dismalness in light of reduced service and higher prices, it's easy to overlook the incidents which prove that the airline industry is still managing to serve the public and provide fast transport around the world. Case in point, the incident yesterday on a Qantas flight from Melbourne, Australia to London, England. Apparently enroute, approximately one hour from Hong Kong, the plan experienced a 'loud bang' and oxygen masks were deployed.

The crew headed by Captain John Francis Bartels immediately took action and dropped the massive Boeing 747-400 down from it's cruising altitude about 30,000 feet to 10,000 feet where the sudden depressurization could be handled. Now call it a marvel of engineering that the plane didn't disintegrate in mid-air or call it the conduct of a professional crew who reacted as appropriate to ensure the safety of the passengers, but in either case, it's just proof that the airline industry is still the safest way to travel. The 350 passengers were then taken to Manila where the plane landed safely and after clearing customs, were taken in for treatment at a makeshift hospital at the Manila airport. There is still no indication as to what caused the hole to rip open but it appears to have formed near the cargo door (which is also missing).

Apparently the Captain came on the P.A. shortly after the hole 'popped open' and had lowered the plane's altitude to tell the passengers what was happening. Some passengers got to use their air sickness bags after the incident but other than that there were no major injuries. I think it's a credit to the captain and his crew that they managed to land the plane safely and without further incident. When you constantly get bombarded with news about how this airline captain arrived to work drunk or that airline captain was grossly incompetent and unable to take-off from the appropriate runway, it is easy to become pessimistic about how capable these pilots really are. I think that no matter where they are or what airline they fly for, there takes a certain degree of skill to land these massive machines. Sure the computers can practically do all the work for you but in cases like this, it's always reassuring to have a steady hand and mind at work to take care of business.

Arrangements are being made to get the passengers back on board another Qantas flight and get them back on their way to London though the investigation into the incident continues. It's odd that these sorts of things happen more frequently these days. I mean a few weeks back parts were falling off a Delta flight en route here in the United States. Other times doors or flaps have fallen off of planes. I don't think it's the fault of the airlines if planes are being pushed to the limits of their structural lives but maybe it's time to look back and re-examine whether this is truly the way we want to push the industry in order to get to where we're going with the least amount of delay with the maximum number of bags allowable with the best service for the price. Maybe the two aren't related but it's something to consider. In any case, I still remember the words of Ray Babbitt in "Rain Man"... "Qantas. Qantas. Yeah. Qantas never crashed." Yup... he was and still is right.