Qantas Grounding: Bands Stranded, Shows Cancelled

Touring bands have been heavily affected after Qantas grounded all flights yesterday. US band Heart, who were in Newcastle supporting Def Leppard, ended up stranded at the airport with a crew of 18. Thankfully band manager Sue Wood managed to rebook with United Airlines; she was shocked at the actions of Qantas saying:

I think everybody should be entitled to strike, to have the company take everything offline is bullshit. That’s not okay. They (staff) have been able to keep the planes going and they’ve been safe, there’s been a few minor hiccups but to have the company shut down the entire airline, what a bunch of jerks.

Information Regarding The Grounding of The Qantas Fleet & Flight Cancellations

DJ Sampology was stranded at the airport in Canberra last night; he was due to fly to Melbourne to play the laundry bar after finishing his set at the Stonefest 2011 Rock On Party. After boarding the plane, Sampology and the other passengers were told to disembark, forcing him to cancel the Melbourne show.

DJ Timmy Trumpet was scheduled to play in Perth tonight but also cancelled his gig, tweeting:

@timmytrumpet Tonight’s show in Perth is officially cancelled thanks to Qantas – the Spirit of Australia.

Band management company ‘I hear Motion’ was also frustrated by the situation last night tweeting:

@ihearmotion Australia needs more airlines. Simple as that. Ridiculous. Waste my Sat night trying to find alternative ways for band to get home

Customer Support for customers flying on Saturday 29 October 2011

Domestic customers:

If you are away from home and between flights today, Qantas will arrange accommodation, meals and transfers for you.

If you are away from home and beginning your journey today, unfortunately you will need to source your own accommodation; we will reimburse you for reasonable out of pocket expenses including accommodation, transfers, meals and incidentals up to a total value of AUD 350 per person per day. A limit of AUD 250 per night for accommodation and AUD 100 for incidentals (meals and phone calls) per person per day applies.

International customers

Qantas will arrange accommodation, meals and transfers for you.

Full details of how to claim your reimbursement, including an online claim form are available on www.qantas.com. Please ensure you keep all receipts in order to make your claim..

Qantas is requesting that only passengers within the next 24 hours call its contact centres: 13 13 13 from within Australia.

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