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Two Qantas jets collide, but were not carrying passengers
Late last month I wrote a post questioning whether Gadling had it in for Qantas airlines, the national carrier of Australia. It seems that we have posted a lot of negative stuff about the airline this year (well, not a lot of negative stuff, but a fair amount, I guess). I don't think we're being unfair to the Down Under carrier, but it's just that...things keep happening to it.
Take yesterday, for example, when two Qantas jets collided on a runway outside Melbourne. Luckily, there were no passenger on board. The jets were being towed to a maintenance hangar at Melbourne's small Avalon Airport. The nose of one plane hit the left wing of the other, says the Associated Press.
One of the planes involved in this collision was damaged in July in a midair explosion.
Alas, I guess it's just one of those years for Qantas.
Filed under: Airlines








Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
woodington Nov 20th 2008 9:20AM
Head line very miss leading. The aircraft were not under power. Ground crews towing the two aircraft does not constitute a collision. Compare it to a fender bender may be more accurate. Anything to discredit the safest mode of transportation in the entire world. What a dick.
Cpt. Wallabe Nov 25th 2008 8:04AM
I agree with Woodie up there ^^^^
What kind of chucklehead is the author of this story? THIS is the type of headline I point to when I attempt to validate my argument about bias in the media.
Misleading headlines like this one are just another case of irresponsible journalism and they make the publication and the author no more credit-worthy than the Sun or the Weekly World News. To intentionally mislead the viewers into believing that there was a collision of two airliners, knowing FULL WELL that people are going to think "CRASH" goes against the "hipocratic oath" of journalism, which is objectivity.
The mainstream media has lost all credibility in my eyes and we as Americans need to slap them silly. Because of people such as this author, I look at every story printed with a cocked eye, wondering where the truth really lies.
The MOST important lesson we readers can take from this and other misrepresentations of the facts is this: "The camera ONLY goes where the cameraman points it". There is so much more to the story than what the author chooses to tell you, so make sure you seek out everything OUTSIDE the scope of the lens before you come to your truth!
dave wilson Nov 20th 2008 9:20AM
Not really what we would call an aircraft collision per se. Lots of sensationalism there wouldnt you say.
Jon Nov 20th 2008 9:22AM
This is a cool tag along story...
Oops! Weirdest Accidents
http://www.curiousread.com/2008/07/oops-weirdest-accidents.html
Enjoy!
chris goodrich Nov 20th 2008 9:35AM
Come on! Are you going to report on the coffee the aircrew spills next!
John G. Nov 20th 2008 9:46AM
Why does the headline come across so dramatical. These planes weren't flying, or moving under their own power. They were being towed. It's no big deal.
everet Nov 20th 2008 3:57PM
it was a big deal to the insurance co. who has to pay for repairs and it can happen when carbon units are on board.
Roy Nov 20th 2008 9:47AM
What a stupid article and boo to AOL for baiting us all to it. I want my last 30 seconds back.
Alex Bhargava Nov 20th 2008 9:53AM
"No passenger?" Was it a speicific passenger they were mentioning who was not on-board.
And I agree with Roy - AOL has turned into the online National Enquirer.
Jeff Nov 20th 2008 9:57AM
After reading the caption and 2/3 of this article I still thought two jets had collided. Almost at the end of the article I read the one sentence that said the planes were towed into each other by maintenance.
Seems misleading and unfair to me...
Christian Nov 20th 2008 10:09AM
Planes collide on the runway I don't think is an appropriate title.... no passengers, and the engines were not even on... being towed to a maintenance hangar... seems like they ARE trying to purposely ruin this airline.. accidents happen all of the time, should be reporting real news. Next story will be about someones flight being delayed, or how they did not receive a full cup of coffee in-flight
Jeff Nov 20th 2008 10:14AM
Towed planes don't use the "runway" they are towed on across the tarmac, and use the taxiway. I haven't seen a tug that can pull a 747 at 150mph yet. These people need to get their facts straight before they report on this stuff. And I agree with everyone else, they should rename AOL the National Enquire.
Harry Hurt Nov 20th 2008 10:21AM
Quantas is a very fine, experienced airline. The tow drivers may not be. Why blame the airline for the negligence of one or two people?
Megz Nov 21st 2008 4:23AM
yeah, they're the best. haven't you seen rainman??
Bubb'a Nov 20th 2008 10:23AM
PICK PICK PICK Some people have nothing better to do!
sarah Nov 20th 2008 10:29AM
i love everyone's sarcasm haha..
really, that was a very pointless story. thank you for making me waste my time.
Robert Nov 20th 2008 10:31AM
The headline on your article leads one to believe that this was some sort of airline collision. Obviously it was not. Leave the lies & deception to The National Enquirer.
Robert Nov 20th 2008 10:32AM
Hey Willy, Hanger & Hangar are both proper words so spell check would not highlight either of them. It is an understandable error for folks who don't use the word hangar every day. So keep your shirt on or put it on a hanger or is it a hangar?
Jeff Nov 20th 2008 10:50AM
That is why we will not fly on Northwest (now Delta) after they locked out their own aircraft repair technicians and brought on a gang of scabs their emergency landings and issues went through the roof. The faa inspector who did his job and reported that problem was taken off the case and demoted to a desk job. Talk about corperate corruption this is a good case. Now they are Delta and we wont be flying them for the same reason.
Bill Nov 20th 2008 11:35AM
Your headline is a good example of why I greatly dislike the mainstream media. If the story doesn't fit, they just either twist the headline or the content to suit their liking. The sad thing is that no one seems to be accountable for their innacurate reporting. After 34 years of public service I can't count the number of times events I witnessed were unrecognizable when shown in print or on the air via the media. The media needs to be held accountable for their biased and innacurate reporting............