Allrite From Australia, joined Aug 2007, 1427 posts, RR: 3 Posted (4 years 8 months 11 hours ago) and read 6079 times:
I've noticed that Qantas and Jetstar appear to have removed sick bags from the seat pockets of their aircraft. On a recent SYD-KIX JQ flight we were furnished with a bag on request (my wife is pregnant). A friend just back from a flight on QF4 HNL-SYD also noticed the missing sick bags which proved to a be a problem when a young passenger started throwing up during turbulence. That's a situation where an attendant may not be able to leave their own seat to fetch a sick bag and you can imagine multiple sick passengers on a rough flight.
I suppose that the bags' removal might be to save weight and cleaning costs, but surely cleaning up such a mess is also costly, apart from being unpleasant for other passengers.
Csturdiv From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 1356 posts, RR: 3 Reply 2, posted (4 years 8 months 9 hours ago) and read 5922 times:
I recently flew into FLL and the couple and their family that had the seats next to me and on the other side of the aisle put some use to the air sick bags as we were landing. Thankfully it was not anybody on my side of the aisle and I had a window seat so that I could look away.
Allrite From Australia, joined Aug 2007, 1427 posts, RR: 3 Reply 4, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5634 times:
Maybe digital photography has killed the sick bag. In Australia they used to double as photographic roll bags with adverts for supposedly cheap photo development companies.
Or maybe the Australian airlines feel that:
1) Their meal quality has improved and sick bags are unnecessary; or
2) They feed you so little there's nothing to throw up
LAXdude1023 From Lebanon, joined Sep 2006, 6787 posts, RR: 24 Reply 5, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5575 times:
It seems that sick bags arent used all that often, but it would be hell to need one and not have one. In all my flying ive only seen someone need a sick bag once on a really rough flight.
In talking with one of my FA friends, it also seems there is a stark contrast on routes that people use them vs. routes where its extremely rare. According to her, on business routes (domestically and internationally) its extremely rare to see someone use a sick bag, but on leisure routes (like MCO) its very common. She works flights to from North America to GRU alot and says that even though flights to South America can be bumpy, she has never had anyone get sick on one of her flights. Crazy, my flights to South America have all been rough.
One time I did make puppets out of sick bags between SYD and LAX! I was smashed!!!
DFW Fan Boy: Im crude, irreverent, and blunt, but Im not clueless. I offer no apologies.
Kulatict From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 119 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5575 times:
for CX, the sick bag always comes in a sealed plastic bag along with the inflight magazine & duty free catalog at every seat...
Allrite From Australia, joined Aug 2007, 1427 posts, RR: 3 Reply 7, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5544 times:
Quoting LAXdude1023 (Reply 5): According to her, on business routes (domestically and internationally) its extremely rare to see someone use a sick bag, but on leisure routes (like MCO) its very common.
Interesting! In my OP the flights I where the lack of sick bags were noticed were leisure routes (Jetstar to Japan and Qantas from Hawaii). Certainly the Japanese flights are always rather rough in my experience.
Luv2cattlecall From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 1648 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5544 times:
Quoting Allrite (Thread starter): aft. On a recent SYD-KIX JQ flight we were furnished with a bag on request (my wife is pregnant). A friend just back from a flight on QF4 HNL-SYD also noticed the missing sick bags which proved to a be a problem when a young passenger started throwing up during turbulence.
You can always by the "Morning Chicness" bag for her
Cessna172RG From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 745 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5544 times:
So if it saves cost, then let's look at this scenario:
Let's say that you get two pukers on your flight and can't get airsick bags to them in time. That means you'll need to use at lease three or four puke kits to clean up the mess (when I worked for QX, it would take more than just one to clean up a basic puke job, and that doesn't even include bringing the mop bucket over later to swab the decks inbetween flights). I guarantee you that two of those puke kits costs a lot more than a pack of 50 airsick bags.
Cost cutting or inconvenience? Who knows. But if you look at the profit margins of some flights these days, some routes are lucky to break even at zero.
LAXdude1023 From Lebanon, joined Sep 2006, 6787 posts, RR: 24 Reply 11, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5491 times:
Quoting Allrite (Reply 7): Interesting! In my OP the flights I where the lack of sick bags were noticed were leisure routes (Jetstar to Japan and Qantas from Hawaii). Certainly the Japanese flights are always rather rough in my experience.
Depends on the time of year from North America to NRT. Ive flown LAX-NRT and DFW-NRT a number of times throughout the year. Between April and September, flights to NRT seem to be very smooth. Between December and February, they seem to be rough. Same with flights to Europe.
There probably isnt any difference in the number of sick bags on Leisure routes vs. business routes, but they were probabaly noticed becuase more people seem to need them on Leisure routes. You would see alot more people looking for a sick bag on a flight to MCO than you would on a flight to GRU.
DFW Fan Boy: Im crude, irreverent, and blunt, but Im not clueless. I offer no apologies.
JOEYCAPPS From Italy, joined Jul 2008, 194 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 5419 times:
The air sickness bags have a new name: seats.
I know this, unfortunately, from an experience. (Lets just say, sitting at a window seat and having the couple next to you down an ENTIRE Applebee's breakfast, THEN find out they're prone to being airsick, is truly an event.)
DingDong From United States of America, joined Jan 2007, 661 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 5390 times:
Quoting AFGMEL (Reply 10): I know they are not needed very often, but one per group of seats would enough then.
For some strange and unexplainable reason, I have this mental picture of someone rapidly turning green and hollering out, "QUICK, mate, you four seats over, I need that little bag RIGHT NOW - can you please pass it to me quickly?"
AcNDTTech From United States of America, joined Jul 2008, 338 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 5339 times:
Quoting Allrite (Reply 4): 1) Their meal quality has improved and sick bags are unnecessary
I'll second that one. I thought that the meals were really good on QF in both directions.
LAX-SYD and SYD-LAX
Allrite From Australia, joined Aug 2007, 1427 posts, RR: 3 Reply 15, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 5335 times:
Quoting LAXdude1023 (Reply 11): Depends on the time of year from North America to NRT. Ive flown LAX-NRT and DFW-NRT a number of times throughout the year. Between April and September, flights to NRT seem to be very smooth. Between December and February, they seem to be rough. Same with flights to Europe.
Umm... Jetstar only flies from Australia to Japan. And I've flown that route March, April, June, September and November and never had a really smooth run.
Xtoler From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 942 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 5296 times:
I like dumping a small can of creamed corn in a sicksack and give it to a new F/A. Even better, when I'm dead heading and in uniform.
EMB145 F/A, F/E, J41 F/A, F/E, because my wife clipped my wings, armchair captain
YVRLTN From Canada, joined Oct 2006, 2120 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 5131 times:
Quoting Kulatict (Reply 6): for CX, the sick bag always comes in a sealed plastic bag along with the inflight magazine & duty free catalog at every seat...
Acey559 From United States of America, joined Jan 2007, 1363 posts, RR: 2 Reply 19, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 5102 times:
DL uses their sick-sacks for dual purposes. The new ones have print on them and one side says something about airsickness and the other side says something about putting it on your seat during a through flight so nobody else takes your seat. I guess this is a clever way to save costs and get more use out of the bags. Anyone else do this?
AAmd11 From UK - Wales, joined Nov 2001, 1040 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 4888 times:
Quoting Acey559 (Reply 19): DL uses their sick-sacks for dual purposes. The new ones have print on them and one side says something about airsickness and the other side says something about putting it on your seat during a through flight so nobody else takes your seat. I guess this is a clever way to save costs and get more use out of the bags. Anyone else do this?
LAXdude1023 From Lebanon, joined Sep 2006, 6787 posts, RR: 24 Reply 21, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 4823 times:
Quoting Xtoler (Reply 17): I like dumping a small can of creamed corn in a sicksack and give it to a new F/A. Even better, when I'm dead heading and in uniform.
Back when they allowed scissors on planes, my best friend used to cut holes in the bottom of the vomit bags.
DFW Fan Boy: Im crude, irreverent, and blunt, but Im not clueless. I offer no apologies.
TheGreatChecko From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 1110 posts, RR: 3 Reply 22, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 4755 times:
This sounds like one of those poorly thought out, passed down from the top, type of budget cuts. It happens all the time in the airlines unfortunately.
Most of the time someone catches it before it causes real problems, however, these things find often their way to the front line where they cause major problems. Its not until the cabin cleaning costs increase that they will realize their mistake. Its all about cutting costs!
Thank God, my airlines has them and we do need them on occasion, especially on certain routes.
Checko
"A pilot's plane she is. She will love you if you deserve it, and try to kill you if you don't...She is the Mighty Q400"
Pnwtraveler From Canada, joined Jun 2007, 2057 posts, RR: 12 Reply 23, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 4730 times:
When I was in college I would take the airsick bags and use them as envelopes to mail letters. The joke was funny the first time and not something you could repeat over and over. As long as they were sealed they qualified for the regular first class postage.
Tommy767 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 6195 posts, RR: 9 Reply 24, posted (4 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 4539 times:
Quoting Acey559 (Reply 19): DL uses their sick-sacks for dual purposes. The new ones have print on them and one side says something about airsickness and the other side says something about putting it on your seat during a through flight so nobody else takes your seat. I guess this is a clever way to save costs and get more use out of the bags. Anyone else do this?
HAHA, that picture is classic! CO has had multiple versions of these sick bags that said "seat occupied" on them. I used to think that you would put the bag down on a seat that had puke all over it hence the name "seat occupied" rather "seat occupied with puke."
"Folks that's the news and I'm outta here!" -- Dennis Miller
25 Xxcr: ya, a lot of airlines have removed them! they cost too much, and not that many poeple get sick in mid-air anyways! that is what the bathroom is for!!!
26 KELPkid: The mere thought of creamed corn is enough to make me want to heave my lunch . I'm just glad that when I was a kid, the dog liked creamed corn, and I
27 Acey559: I didn't know, hence the question. I just recently started seeing them on DL flights, and I haven't flown any other US airline but DL for 8 years (an
28 Tommy767: Yeah CO had another version of the bag displayed but in the newer logos. I remember for a while that the bags were blue.
29 DocLightning: So let's do a cost analysis. Let's suppose, for a moment, that a sick bag bought in the quantities that airlines have to buy them, costs 10¢ per unit
30 Skydrol: True, very rare for pax to get sick on a smooth, quiet flight. But when there is prolonged turbulence or crazy cross winds during landing approach, t
31 DingDong: Reduction or elimination of this feature is unfortunate. True, little used, but when used, immensely worth it! (It beats a vomit trail on oneself, oth
32 DocLightning: See, I have never been motion sick and I have made the Drake Passage Crossing from Usuaia to Antarctica. I'm just immune or something. But I SO am car
33 Allrite: Why bother printing "seat occupied" on it. All you need to do is make your airsickness bag look slightly used, leave it on your seat, and there is no
34 Ditzyboy: Sick bags have not been removed or reduced-loaded. Cuts in the amount of cleaning staff mean that seat pockets are not presented to specification muc
35 Elsonmandella: I was recently on a JQ international domestic sector from MEL to SYD which was then continuing on to HNL. There was definitely sick bags in the seat p
36 Smcmac32msn: I wonder how that conversation went... Emp 1: Hey, I wonder if we quit serving meals, how much money we'd save? Emp 2: I think we could save a lot, a
37 Vhqpa: I did 2 QF sectors last Thursday. BNE-SYD and SYD-PER both sectors had sick bags. Vhq
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