Qantas Frequent Flyer - J Class passengers being asked to move for "trim" reasons

Was on a 734 flight where there was around 8 J pax, and maybe 40 Y pax.

Just before leaving airport, ground crew enter plane. Issue new boarding passes to two of the J pax requesting that they move back into Row 20 or so to help balance up the plane for takeoff.

Was quite suprised the Y pax in row 4 wern't move instead of the J in row 3.

Plane was also delayed because they moved luggage around for trim reasons as well.

Trim is an amazing thing!

Was on a 734 flight where there was around 8 J pax, and maybe 40 Y pax.

Just before leaving airport, ground crew enter plane. Issue new boarding passes to two of the J pax requesting that they move back into Row 20 or so to help balance up the plane for takeoff.

Was quite suprised the Y pax in row 4 wern't move instead of the J in row 3.

Plane was also delayed because they moved luggage around for trim reasons as well.

Trim is an amazing thing!

Aus_Mal
I have only ever had that happen on a 737-800 series. Am surprised that it also happens on a 734 flight. Do not understand why the 800 series is so much more sensitive to trim.
Koala

Have seen it twice now on 734's.

I was moved on a Syd-Canberra flight a while ago for trim reasons. The flight was basically empty, and I was right behind J.

They ended up having about 4 free rows behind J and then spacing out the pax.

This flight was the first one I've seen where J pax got moved....

It happens on all the 737 series, it's just you only have experience of the 400s and 800s. Lightly loaded, they need the punters down the back.

For the Low Cost Carriers, if they run light loads, then the cabin crew often put down all the meal trays in the front rows to herd the punters down the back. Make sure everybody is sitting 6 across and then off they go.

You are considering the main direction of trim balance, that of front and back. It gets to be quite interesting when you get something silly like split destination loads in full Y config. The ground crew load punters for destination A on at the front and B at the back. Stop at A, all front end get off, crew forget to redistribute punters and aircraft then cannot get nosewheel steering to work as the whole lot is balanced on a knife edge. (airbus mainly)

Then you get the props which load from the back. Aircraft stops, punters get up and walk to the back and crunch, tips onto the tail.

Load slides with the freighters always look spectacular to end up tail sitting.

Look for the support poles on DC8, IL62, ATRs, Twotters and so on.

Very exciting when a major fuel imbalance occurs in roll, particularly if the autopilot has been flying it. Trips out eventually and hands a fast rolling aircraft to the crew. Certainly wakes them up at that point.

Trim also gets to be interesting for autolands as the autopilot has to get ready for the flare earlier than a pilot would (limited control authority). When the automatics trip out, then the nose jumps up, particularly the old 737s.

The most interesting thing about staying in trim in Australia is watching all those babes on the beach exercising on the TV in the morning, but that is a bit off topic... :D

Spottie.

I'll be interested to know the reaction of the passengers and how qantas compensated these passengers as these passengers paid for Business class tickets which are priced 5 times more(at least than economy).

cheers

What is a "punter?"

What is a "punter?"
A term used to describe passengers in this case or, say, in a restaurant, customers.

A punter (true meaning) is someone that takes a gamble on something like at the races, casino or such like.

It's a derogative term in the case of passengers or customers but meant affectionately - you just wouldn't refer to them directly as such

Many moons ago when QF83 was a BNE-MEL positioning flight, my 23A seat allocation was moved to 53A in the QP, for "trim problems due to light load".

There were 15 pax on the flight, and 1 poor lonely soul in J.

For those 14 of us in WHY, we all enjoyed international J service at the back of the 763.

For the petrolheads around here, a lightly laden 763 handles like a sportscar - an incredibly short take-off roll...

I commented previously how around 50 SLF who had joined the morning toilet queue down the back of a QF 744 were asked to resume their seats because the plane was running out of trim.

I'll be interested to know the reaction of the passengers and how qantas compensated these passengers as these passengers paid for Business class tickets which are priced 5 times more(at least than economy).

cheers

They came back to J after the seat belt sign went off.

No idea if they were staff or regular paid J travel.

It happens on all the 737 series, it's just you only have experience of the 400s and 800s. Lightly loaded, they need the punters down the back.

...

Very exciting when a major fuel imbalance occurs in roll, particularly if the autopilot has been flying it. Trips out eventually and hands a fast rolling aircraft to the crew. Certainly wakes them up at that point.

Trim also gets to be interesting for autolands as the autopilot has to get ready for the flare earlier than a pilot would (limited control authority). When the automatics trip out, then the nose jumps up, particularly the old 737s.

...

Spottie.

Learn something new every day ^

I have been redistributed from Economy to Business class on an A300 in the past


For the petrolheads around here, a lightly laden 763 handles like a sportscar - an incredibly short take-off roll...


I have seen an empty one leaving Canberra, certainly got off the ground quick.

I would guess that they were non-rev's and the people in row 4 were most likely paid FF's. That is the only reason I can see them doing that. Given that they did not even kick up a stink or say anything seems to add weight to the idea they were non-rev's.