Virgin Blue’s backlash at union leader
Virgin Blue Airlines Group today responded sharply to engineer union allegations of short-cutting on aircraft maintenance, insisting that it complies fully with all maintenance checks and standards required by Boeing and CASA.
Virgin says it has every confidence in the integrity of its maintenance program, procedures, and the professionalism of its engineers.
The airline is now seeking legal advice on what it describes as “the seriously inaccurate statements made by the Federal Secretary of the Aircraft Licenced Aircraft Engineer Association (ALAEA) Mr Steve Purvinas, which come during good faith discussions with the union regarding a collective bargaining agreement.”
Darren Dunbier, Virgin Blue’s Manager of Aircraft Airworthiness and Maintenance Control said: “At all times the safety of our guests and our team members is our highest priority and we reject outright the sensational and mischievous attempt by Mr Purvinas to damage our reputation and cause unnecessary public concern.
“Mr Purvinas statements that a wheel on a Virgin Blue 737-800 aircraft had ‘disintegrated’ on landing this morning at Melbourne Airport are simply not true. His statement that Virgin Blue is preparing to do less regular maintenance checks is again simply not true.”
According to the airline the aircraft taxied in according with standard operating procedures, but during taxi the pilot identified additional drag on the aircraft, believing it to be a brake related issue, but the aircraft did not lose a wheel or any other component. He says that after arrival at the terminal engineers were advised of the reported condition and inspected the aircraft, the wheel and its brake unit were replaced, and the aircraft was returned to service:
“Upon inspection our engineers found that a component within the wheel hub of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, had failed,” Mr Dunbier said.
“This is the first time this issue has occurred with any of our aircraft and we have been advised by the wheel supplier that it is a very rare occurrence.”
Boeing’s B737 series is widely acknowledged as one of the safest and most reliable aircraft in the world, and of approximately 2700 Boeing 737 NG (New Generation) aircraft operating worldwide today, there are only eleven known instances of this part failing, he says:
“The safety of crew and guests on board was never in question. These aircraft, including aircraft landing gear, are expertly designed with many back-up safety features including the ability to land safely if any wheel is rendered unserviceable which was the case this morning.”
Virgin Blue said the additional statement made by Mr Purvinas that the airline is planning to move to a programme of less engineering maintenance is again simply false:
“To be very clear and at our own initiative, we are making a CASA-approved change to our aircraft line check procedures which will deliver more frequent maintenance inspections of aircraft across our fleet,” Mr Dunbier added.
“Mr Purvinas should be well aware that Virgin Blue is increasing its maintenance schedule to a level which exceeds the manufacturer’s recommendations as well as meeting and in many cases exceeding all regulatory requirements and therefore we find his statements bewildering and misleading.”
