Qantas boss to outline big international shake-up

[lloyd fox]

I also know that flight went thru BNE as well as Austasia 135/136 when it was Australia-Asia airlines.

[Beau Chenery]

My thoughts:

A new airline called Qantas Asia will be announced on August 24th (approximate anniversary of the pilots strike back in '89)

Qantas will move all their long haul operations and base them out of Singapore/Hong Kong/Bangkok and thus require their pilots to resign contracts on much lower salaries than what they are currently on.

I personally do not think they have been over paid at all. My personal opinion is that they are under paid at the moment. When I worked for a company my salary increased relative to inflation how QF pilots didn't. To me that is disgusting.

Alan Joyce says in not so many words - I like the pilots but I don't like the unions. ABC Interview

Thought - The union is made up of pilots.

Why would Alan Joyce give a f#$% about an Australian carrier he is Irish. He doesn't give two hoots. Like Sol from Telstra, he didn't give two *****s about Telstra, left it in a piece of crap state for someone else to clean up. Thankfully its happening now.

It's foul what is happening and it's a story that requires some proper journalism and media coverage at the highest levels from both sides of the fence not just the Qantas spin from HQ.

Beau

[Ash W]

I think your prediction is well off the mark. Qantas will not set-up an offshore operation to replace the Australian one and force staff to resign and apply for work in the offshore entity. It will however attempt to set-up one and channel expansion through this entity. This 'airline' will either be called Qantas or Jetstar. My prediction is this may well be out of Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, it won't be Hong Kong or Bangkok though.

As for the amount of money staff are paid, at the end of the day weather any staff are are over or underpaid is actually irrelevant. The bottom line is the cost of staff relative to the amount of income the airline receives for it's services, in such a competitive international environment is too high. Qantas, or any business CANNOT survive if it isn't making money to cover their costs, and this is what is happening international where to remain competitive Qantas must charge less than it costs to operate. This is clearly not sustainable.

As for pay going up at the rate of inflation, no employee anywhere should expect this, but most of us do and do get it. But you know what all that does is increases inflation so it disappears as easy as it comes. Over the past 10 years Australian incomes have gone up significantly, coupled with tax cuts, which has lead to the massive increases we see in the cost of living. This is one of the many reasons why Qantas is now so unprofitable on international routes, where it competes with an international cost base, but domestically, where the cost base is the same it does ok.

Back in the early 1990's Paul Keating described the recession that was going on at the time as 'the recession that Australia had to have", sadly a recession of this order is what we need in this country to bring costs back into a sustainable position. But no politician will ever allow that to happen because it would cause direct hurt, but the way things are going there is going to be hurt anyway. The question is do we need one where it can be controlled or one where the market controls it?

As for Joyce, the fact he is Irish is irrelevant. He is there to do a job and is trying to do it. If Borghetthi got the top job at Qantas you could bet your bottom dollar that he too would be trying to make similar changes. Indeed Borghetthi was involved up to his eye***** with the creation of Jetstar which was the start of the push to reduce costs, Joyce is just continuing what Dixon, Borghetti and co started.

PS mods, why is the word b a l l s (as in eye b a l l s) stared out?

[Jack Melon]

1. Qantasia
2. Qantas, A Jetstar Group Airline

[Justin L]

The SMH makes the following comments on likely QF international route cuts:

LAX-JFK: Cancel - rely on AA alliance
AKL-LAX: Transfer to JQ
SYD-HNL: Under consideration for cancellation
SIN-BOM: Under consideration for cancellation
SYD-EZE: Under consideration for cancellation
SYD-JNB: Keep

Full article here.

[James R]

AKL-LAX has been long mooted for JQ as they have NZ-based staff don't they? Either that or they'll be ops by SIN-based staff doing SIN-AKL-LAX and return.

Wouldn't be surprised to see QF dropping off EZE, HNL and BOM as per the SMH article, perhaps BKK too if they can feed more LHR traffic through other ports.

How long until all the JQ aircraft are then repainted in QF colours, staffed by pilots and crew on much lower wages with less conditions?

[Will H]

I was always under the impression LAX-JFK was great for cargo. Maybe not anymore?

Keeping JNB is a no-brainer.

[Anthony T]

How long until all the JQ aircraft are then repainted in QF colours, staffed by pilots and crew on much lower wages with less conditions?

Not long to wait now, QANTAS group management has lost patience with the unions at QF mainline and will do their own thing, if the mainline employees want to come along for the ride, all well and good, if not they will have to find another airline to work for.

[Andrew Johnson]

Originally Posted by Will H

I was always under the impression LAX-JFK was great for cargo. Maybe not anymore?

Keeping JNB is a no-brainer.

So guess this frees up an A330 ?

Can Qantas/Jetstar A330's operate AKL/LAX & LAX/AKL without weight restriction ?

[Andrew Johnson]

Obviously HNL will go. Can;t work out why it's lasted so long.

The big question is how long will QF INT last & how soon QF will only be BNE, SYD, MEL, CBR & PER & rest will be given to JQ.