Ceiling Collapse At AKL

777ER · Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:52 pm

15 check-in agents working at the CX check-in counters have been injured after the ceiling fell down on top of them this afternoon. 5 agents are believed to have broken bones and were taken to Hospital while the 10 other agents were taken to a medical centre. The CX check-in gates are in the new part of the check-in area which only opened on tuesday.

http://xtramsn.co.nz/news/0,,11964-3945862,00.html

I was at AKL today when it happened, I was on the viewing deck. When I was walking back to the domestic terminal at around 4pm I noticed the new part of the check-in was blocked off with police standing guard and several news cameras there.

ZKSUJ · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:03 pm

I believe that 12 were injured.
777 did you notice an A340-300 come in just after 3pm, which airline was it? I saw it on finals and it looks like it has a star alliance livery on it, is it a special visitor or is it just Lan Chile?

ZK-NBT · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:10 pm

Not good for when it just opened 3 days ago, thankfully no one was seriously hurt.

On One News tonight it said the flight was delayed by only a few minutes which is rather strange since I saw the aircraft come in around 1425 with a scheduled departure of 1420. Nuts

LAN isin't in on Thursday. Sure it wasn't the EK 345 though I am unsure what time that got in today since I didn't see it, though I wasn't at the airport.

777ER · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:15 pm

ZKSUJ

According to the time on the pics on my digital camera, the A343 that you saw on approach was a CX A343. While I was at AKL today, which was from 7.30am-7pm) there was no Star Alliance livery at AKL Sad

. Today CX had 2x A343 flights to AKL.

NZ747 · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:24 pm

On the news ( channel one) today they showed a CX A346 taking off.

ZKSUJ · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:24 pm

It had a dark blue tail and it had dark blue engines. It would not be CX I think

777ER · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:33 pm

Heaps of international flights were delayed....i think cause of the weather.

ZK-NBT

EK A345 (EK412) got in at about 1.30pm, with EK432 (B773) right behind it. This was during the 'mass migration' of the airlines which resulted in a 'traffic jam' with several aircraft waiting behind each other on the taxiway. All this happened after sea fog cleared.

ZK-NBT · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:34 pm

Well then it was Aerolineas Argentinas!

On the news ( channel one) today they showed a CX A346 taking off.

Noticed that, they came in last year on 3 occasions in case you were wondering! Smile

ZKSUJ · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:37 pm

I remember reading in the paper 2 years ago that the 346 had trouble parking at AKL due to its size and length.

777ER · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:41 pm

Aerolineas Argentinas arrived at about 3.30....A342

ZKSUJ · Thu Dec 16, 2004 6:43 pm

Yeah that would have been it. I must have mistaked it for a 343.

Ratypus · Thu Dec 16, 2004 8:18 pm

I saw it on finals and it looks like it has a star alliance livery on it, is it a special visitor or is it just Lan Chile?

Sure you know this, but Lan Chile are part of One World.

B-HXB · Thu Dec 16, 2004 11:35 pm

I think when they said "no delay" they meant no delay was caused by the ceiling collapse itself. The CX108 ex-AKL 16Dec would've been delayed anyway (ceiling collapse or not) because it left Hong Kong on the night of the 15th 2+ hours late (hence 2+ hour delay in arrival, which would have meant a late departure).

That aside, anything falling off the roof of a recently constructed extension does not inspire confidence, although it is nice that CX have some new digs. I know their AKL operation has been lobbying for some decent space for quite a while - queues for the CX frequently spill out into the thoroughfare, so I'm guessing the new area is more spacious.

aerokiwi · Fri Dec 17, 2004 11:30 am

Yet another example of AIAL cutting corners to save on $$??

It's high time these people were forced to expand their terminal facilities, or in the case of the domestic buldings, build entirely new ones. AIAL no longer provide a decent service for pax. CHC on the other hand is excellent. A pity.

Hope those that were hurt are ok.

N328KF · Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:01 pm

Don't tell me that this one was designed by the same guy who did CDG T2E and the DXB terminal...

ltbewr · Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:16 pm

Was this ceiling collaspse due to recent severe weather? Perhaps poor construction or design a factor too?

NZ1 · Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:37 pm

You make me laugh. I was at CHC on Monday, and the "revamped" domestic area is a joke. With the amount of people loitering around the info desk and rental car areas, it makes it bloody hard to walk through. While I agree the AKL terminal is a national disgrace, at least there is room to move about.

And yes, it was an AR A340 you saw on finals.

NZ1

777ER · Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:39 pm

It's high time these people were forced to expand their terminal facilities, or in the case of the domestic buldings, build entirely new ones. AIAL no longer provide a decent service for pax. CHC on the other hand is excellent. A pity. From what I saw yesterday about 95% of the domestic terminal is old fashined and the rest is new. Compared to WLG and CHCs terminal the AKL domestic is in a shocking condition. AKL domestic is majerley cramped and I'm totally glad that DJ is refusing to fly to AKL because it would just make it worse. AKL is in a disgusting condition (the toilets are most likly the only nice area at AKL). Just to think that AKL operations are saying that AKL can handle Aucklands future air travel growth for the next 50 years.......GOD HELP US. In other words Aerokiwi, I couldn't agree with you more.

Hope those that were hurt are ok. Out of the 5 taken to hospital yesterday, only 2 were keeped in over night and the 2 were discharged this morning.

I know their AKL operation has been lobbying for some decent space for quite a while - queues for the CX frequently spill out into the thoroughfare, so I'm guessing the new area is more spacious. Yes the new area is very spacious, although from what I saw yesterday the new check-in looks like a bomb has struck.

All the construction airside right now is causing major problems for aircraft.

EDIT: Spelling, thanks NZ1 for pointing it out for me Smile

[Edited 2004-12-17 05:02:47]

KDTWflyer · Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:42 pm

Didn't something like this happen @ CDG a few years back?

NZ1 · Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:46 pm

777ER,

Can you use the spellchecker mate. I know I'm not perfect, but your last post was a bloody mess to read.

Cheers
NZ1

777ER · Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:57 pm

Didn't something like this happen @ CDG a few years back? Yes the same thing did happen at CDG, but it was a few months ago.

Nz1

Sorry, after re-reading my post I understand what you mean. I will edit it now

NZ1 · Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:59 pm

lol,

no worries.

NZ1

ZKSUJ · Fri Dec 17, 2004 1:27 pm

Yeah I realise that LAN are part of OW, but I was thinking of an airline that had blue engines at the time and I did not pick that detail up. It was AR, sorry.

777ER · Fri Dec 17, 2004 1:37 pm

I will post a trip report once i finally decide on which photos (out of 300 photos) to upload for the selection process for both a.net and myaviation.net

ZKSUJ · Fri Dec 17, 2004 1:42 pm

How ws AKL yesterday? I presume it was your day trip?

B-HXB · Fri Dec 17, 2004 1:52 pm

"While I agree the AKL terminal is a national disgrace"

Words close and dear to my heart!

777ER · Fri Dec 17, 2004 2:07 pm

ZKSUJ

Yes it was my day trip. The weather was crap (just as well I brought an umbrella with me). Heaps of times fog rolled in, then rolled out as quickly it rolled in. There was several hours of sunshine during the afternoon, which defently made up for the crap weather during the morning, then the crap weather set in again.

But overall the trip was very good. I found the business class seat (1F) on the return flight VERY comfy, so much I even fell asleep for mostly the whole fight!!! The approach into WLG well the best part of the day trip........the turbulance was very severe, which I enjoyed the most. The A320 used the whole runway because the aircraft landed too fast.

NZ747 · Fri Dec 17, 2004 4:25 pm

I found the business class seat (1F) on the return flight VERY comfy

The leg room isn't the best in row 2, I havn't been in the first row but I have been in row 2 in business class a few times on the 320. The seats are good with the leather comp to the reg business class seats on the other aircraft. It's a much cleaner feeling.
I'm booked on an A320 at the end of the month and have either 1A or f requested, I cant remember.

How is the leg room in the front row?

ZKSUJ · Fri Dec 17, 2004 5:50 pm

You are lucky, I have never had a 320 with any carrier. I've been stuck with the 733 all the time when I go WLG-AKL.
Good to hear that you enjoyed the turbulence, I know that I would have Big grin

777ER · Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:11 pm

How is the leg room in the front row? The leg room is very good

I've been stuck with the 733 all the time when I go WLG-AKL. I choose the 1830 departure of purpose because it was going to be operated by the A320.

Good to hear that you enjoyed the turbulence No words can describe how awesome the turbulance was.....some people in economy wouldn't agree with me thou

I am currently uploading 15 photos (out of about 300) that I took yesterday

Off topic here. When everyone was disembarking at WLG I noticed that Don Brash (leader of the National Party) was sitting in about row 4 (Economy) which sure provided me with a good laugh Smile

ZKSUJ · Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:14 pm

It's amazing how many well known people fly NZ economy (I guess they have no other choice of class when on NZ) domestically. I have had Ralph Norris, Frano Botica, the Hobbit guy of LOTR, on my aircraft all going and from WLG.

777ER · Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:29 pm

If its an NZ International aircraft then they can fly in busines class.

ZKSUJ · Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:37 pm

Yea, but the chances of getting an international aircraft on a domestic route are slim (not impossible as you will know from yesterday)

NZ747 · Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:37 pm

777ER, Did you somehow book business class, or did you get upgraded. Everytime I try book it online, the system won't let me for domestic flights. Look forward to seeing your pics, what name should I look for?

I've had
russell coutts (sitting next to me)
Jonah Lomu
Aunty Helen
Sean fitzpatrick
David Hasselhoff

buckfifty · Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:38 pm

I think when they said "no delay" they meant no delay was caused by the ceiling collapse itself. The CX108 ex-AKL 16Dec would've been delayed anyway (ceiling collapse or not) because it left Hong Kong on the night of the 15th 2+ hours late (hence 2+ hour delay in arrival, which would have meant a late departure

Not necessarily, the winds down to AKL from HKG have been quite favourable the last few days, the flights tended to arrive 1 hour ahead of the block times (and that's without using a higher than normal cruise speed/index). And the turnaround usually affords just about enough time to absorb any short delays.

On the CX website, it shows the aircraft departed 10 minutes late, so it wasn't that bad.

But what an unfortunate coincidence for the ground crew. I hope the ones injured will have a full and speedy recovery.

777ER · Fri Dec 17, 2004 7:00 pm

NZ747

777ER, Did you somehow book business class, or did you get upgraded. Everytime I try book it online, the system won't let me for domestic flights. Look forward to seeing your pics, what name should I look for?

As it was a domestic express flight, you cant book business class. Even if your on an International aircraft and seated in business class, your still treated the same as everyone else who is on board. I checked in at WLG using the Express check-in kiosk so I able to choose my seat.

I have had sitting near me
Helen Clark (sitting next to me)
The current Maori Affairs Minister
Bill English (old National party leader) and his wife
Gerry Brownley
Peter Jackson (sitting next to me)

aerokiwi · Fri Dec 17, 2004 8:19 pm

NZ1, i was referring to the international terminals. CHC has 11 gates and wide open spaces. AKL has 10 and a low roof for most of the pier and shoddy 'dividing' walls for half the gates. It looks, and is, a [email protected]!

NZ1 · Sun Dec 19, 2004 6:16 am

No probs,

I agree the CHC Int'l terminal is lovely. AKL could learn a thing or two from our southern cousins.

NZ1

Who is online

Popular Searches On Airliners.net