Standing 5 Hours while in the Flight.
Standing Room Only On Russian Tatarstan Airlines
Russian carrier makes 6 passengers stand for 5-hour flight
Oct 05, 2010
A Russian airline forced six passengers to stand on a five-hour flight from Turkey to Russia, according to media reports.
Daily Mail reported that six adults had no seats on the overcrowded Boeing jet as it took off from Antalya airport in Turkey, used by thousands of Britons each week.
These passengers did not have oxygen masks or life vests on the overcrowded jet, said reports in Moscow.
According to Daily Mail, the passengers on the Tatarstan Airlines flight from Antalya to Ekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth largest city, were told an aircraft with 148 seats had been replaced at the last minute by another Boeing 737 with space for only 142.
Those who complained were told by the crew to put a child on their lap - but the children were far too big.
The incident on Septmber 24 came to light after angry passengers demanded £3,000 each in compensation.
The tour company which booked their flight offered them only £130.
"The adults had no choice but to fly standing for five hours," said one passenger.
"When the plane flew through turbulence, they went from standing to sitting in the aisle, where naturally they had no safety belts."
A Tatarstan Airlines official said last night: "We cannot deny this happened to our customers. But the company will not share any details until everything is clarified. Our own investigation of this accident is about to begin."
Evgenia Fedorova, a manager of Anex-Tour, which booked many passengers on the flight, said, "People had a choice - to fly on that plane standing up or wait seven hours for another plane.
"All the tourists decided to fly back despite uncomfortable conditions."
Aviation regulators are understood to be probing the incident.
Source: Daily Mail
published: Etn Global Trade Industry News
I don't know about Russia but this airline will not be allowed to fly in any European country. These are flagrant violations of all international safety rules. And I, too, am sure that QR did not engage in similar actions. They would never want to jeopardize their landing rights in other countries.
Mandi
Don't board the same disgusting airline next time..it's simple...
flying ace 737-340?? hahahaha// thts a new one.
either boeing 737 or airbus 340 mate
"Evgenia Fedorova, a manager of Anex-Tour, which booked many passengers on the flight, said, "People had a choice - to fly on that plane standing up or wait seven hours for another plane"
Is this not talking about a choice?
drmana, that aircraft was not Air-Bus.
It was a Boeing 737-340 i guess.
So it can't be Air-Bus... ;)
I hear there are some airlines that have chicken and other livestock in the cabin....probably another of those "stan" places....;)
How could the Captain signed the release papers, this is strange, this is against ICAO rules, Local CAA rules,
for 5 hours, without life vests and oxygen masks. If there would have been a sudden decompression at 37,000 AGL then they were short of 6 oxygen masks..
Remarkable the aircraft was not TU-154.
@ flor 1212,quite clearly you don't actually bother reading the whole post before answering...waiting 7 hours is NOT an option for those passengers if they have connecting trains or flights to catch on their arrival,because they will lose all the money they've paid for their onward journeys plus who knows when they can get the next train or flight out of there?...so no waiting 7 hours is NOT an option...
1.) I think that Russian Airline story is untrue. First and foremost, Internatioanl Aviation Regulation states that it is not allowed for any airline, regardless if it is a budget airline or an exclusive one, to let passengers fly withour seats. Before an aircraft pushes-back, the captain have to send the passenger manifest together with the full details of the aircraft including the seat capacity, fuel quantity, crew compliment etc. If the authorities don't send a go signal for the aircraft to push back, then the a/c will not be able to depart the tarmac.
2.) This didn't happen in Qatar Airways. the way they train crew is unbelieveable. They won't even take crew on an ID90 ticket going or coming back from leave without a jumpseat. QR safety regulations, as opposed to EK & EY is still the best. (I should know, I have workked for the 3 airlines).
but they are offering 70 percent fare less from
Outstation any GCC Countries..The reason why they are offering lower, that's part of Airline Stratagy in order to take more passengers outside Qatar to join the Flight from Doha to any Destination they are operated.
if you compare Doha/Houston fare is higher than
Dubai/Doha/Houston the fare is less.
Not only Qatar Airways even EK/EY/GF/KU they are doing
the same..
it is not the passenger's fault BUT they do have a choice. if i was one of those passengers, i would rather wait a little longer than compromise my safety.
The airline company shouldn't have given them the choice to go. they should have stopped them from getting on that plane and compensated them properly.
no alternatives, kalas, finish.
As for the second part, they have an alternative to wait for 7 hours, isn't it? It's still a choice. When the volcanoe in Iceland erupted and halt all flights to many European countries, that's what we called no alternatives! If they waited for 7 hours, then they can sue the airline, but they opted to go so the bargaining power is lessen!
@ flor 1212,if you actually read SM's post,he/she has clearly said "for example",meaning he/she is using that as a reference in general to Qr's ridiculous prices which is a fact & applying some logic will answer that question as well...QR is on a mission to add as many destinations to it's schedule as possible as a matter of pride to compete with the established Emirates,however what is happening as a result is MANY QR flights are going with like 10 or 20 passengers @ a time...how is ANY airline supposed to make money with that kind of load factor?...the truth of the matter is that QR is losing millions but because it's the national airline,the Govt. is absorbing those losses...the ONLY alternative is to charge higher rates for people who don't have a choice or companies who don't care about cost...btw,QR is the only airline flying direct to Houston FROM QATAR so no there aren't alternatives to that DIRECT FLIGHT...Emirates flies there,but that involves transit in Dubai so it's NOT A DIRECT FLIGHT & hence CANNOT be considered an "alternative"...so there is definitely a point to be discussed...
As for the topic,would you kindly enlighten us all as to how this could be the passenger's fault???...their choice was to either take the flight or wait 7 hours more for the next one,those six people probably had connecting flights or trains to catch & couldn't afford to wait 7 hours because that would mean they lost their onward connections...how is it the passenger's fault if the airline changes the aircraft @ the last minute???...
to Houston? If not, nothing to discuss. One has an alternatives!
As for the topic, really hard to determine who to blame? The airline, the flight booker or the passengers themselves?
If that is Russian story, here is the QA story..
As all of us know QA flight charges are one of highest in the region if not the world. for example a direct flight to Houston from spore costs about QR 4000 by QA but the same airlines charges QA 7000 if u fly from doha to houston and above all doha is only 2/3 of the distance to houston.
It is high time QA reconsider its flight charges structure for the following reasons:
1. worldwide flight costs have gone down due to operational efficiency
2. Petrol costs have stablised
3. QA may be receiving subsidised fuels?
4. It does Allow low cost flighst or budget airlines here.
QA must be compassionate that NOT all expats/workers in doha receive 5 figure salaries to go hmoe to take a break from work.
No seats and they were allowed to board the flight?? Radiculous!! Goshh....how can they stand while take off and landing??
It happened in Qatar Airways few years back from Doha to Manila flight, some passengers were lying on the corridors because the flight was over booked.
May be that's why they are calling it Air-Bus.
Are they going to sue the airlines?
experiment, so that we can have such flights all over now. more cost savings.
This is pure expliotation of airline travellers.I hope they are compensated by that airline though.