03/12/2023
Wolodymir Nelowkin - Photographer.
Front starboard view of the nose of Kendell Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200ER VH-KJF on the Tullamarine Ansett apron at Melbourne Airport on 26th August 2001.
The aircraft is ready for push-back, with a modern 'low profile' tow motor attached, baggage has been loaded, and a catering truck is still in position.
Without aerobridges for commuter aircraft, passengers walked across the apron to board the aircraft. I didn't get a usable photo of the aircraft Dad flew in on his sixth and last flight - Ansett A320 VH-HYY.
Dad flew from Melbourne to Canberra (Flight AN652) in Ansett CRJ-200 VH-KJF (a 55 min visiting friends or relations.) His return trip (Flight AN113 on 2nd September 2001) was in Ansett A320 VH-HYY, which I booked for him.
I selected a window seat (25A) on the Port side, enabling my wife and I to wave farewell from the Canberra terminal windows. Dad was escorted onto the aircraft by a friend who was (co-incidentally) on the same flight. We waved multiple times and got no response from that window seat (near the aircraft tail).
The reason became apparent when talking to Dad on the telephone after he got home. Dad went to his allocated seat and found it occupied by a Burly Bearded passenger. Dad asked him to go to the seat on his boarding pass to allow Dad to take his assigned seat.
The Burly Bearded man refused. Dad asked a Flight Attendant to fix the problem. The 'Gazumper' refused to move when asked by the Flight Attendant. She solved the problem by seating Dad on the other side of the aircraft! Hence, there was no response to 'goodbye waving'. However, Dad did enjoy a cup of tea on the flight to Melbourne.
PS. I was going to use some of my Ansett Frequent Flyer Points for Dad's Ticket, but I bought the Ticket, planning to use my Points for a long Ansett trip later that year.
However, Ansett 'collapsed' financially, and the Administrator of Ansett Australia suspended all of the company's flight operations on 13th September 2001. My Ansett frequent Flyer Points were then worthless.
Credit - Wolodymir Nelowkin
🇦🇺