Just a few things, ETOPS/EDTO is not a CASA restriction, it is an aircraft certification process that is conducted by either the FAA or EASA in Europe. CASA may set further operator requirements on ETOPS/EDTO flights but the 180 minute rule is stipulated on the aircraft manufacturing certification.
We all admit QF has made many mistakes in recent years but all could of been resolved in their recent assistance to MAS with joining OW. QF could of done to MAS, what EK is doing to QF. They could of moved hubs to KUL, gotten the feeder traffic from MAS and expanded its INTL OPS from KUL. Instead QF has completely given the *** to MAS and tunnel vissioned on EK.
As much as it is a dead horse, yes the B777 was and still is the best option for a QF revival, they need to swallow their pride and understand that the aircraft will work for them in key markets into Asian and US, even a stretch to the EU.
AJ and the board need to drop the rhetoric of this 65% line in the sand BS and maintain that by high quality service. I have flown more times on QF this year that VA (not by choice mind you) and the potential is there however the fleet and staff are not following in the same way. AJ needs to stop whining and take some ownership of HIS role within the airline, yes there may of been contributing factors by previous CEOs etc however a leader is seen as someone that provide a strategic vision and direction, not someone that crys wolf at the first sign of hardship.
IF QF really wanted to, they could go to a lower rate airline and buy slots of them for aircraft that they need TODAY.
It is a sad time currently in T1(for those in ML would get that) and it is sad to see what is really happening and why no real action is been taken board. I understand the 2011 grounding but there are companies in the world that have had worse circumstances then this and have come out better.
The QSA is not a hindrance, it's just an excuse, EK does NOT want to buy into QF, if they wanted to would of not happened already? No one wanted to buy something that looked like it's going to expire tomorrow. VA have raised more capital to increase its wide body fleet, so what if it's come from other "governments", it is helping the Australian economy.
This is the first time I have publicly written anything about what has been happening lately in the QF saga, I love the airline, I love the iconicness of it, I was in NYC last year and to see a QF B744 was just magic after being away for over a month. But in the hands of some an empire is falling without an end in sight. I just hope we don't have another AN incident and if it did I wonder if fox and leu will pull out in the 11th hour like last time...
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