- Joined
- Apr 11, 2012
- Posts
- 915
After travelling for just on 30 years, I’m sadly starting topick-up a bit of an “Ansett” scent with the ol’ flying kangaroo. Sitting now inthe CX longue in BBK, watching the QF23 A330 pull up at the gate doesn’t seemto have that inspiration anymore. The NeilPerry “inspired” food, or toothbrushes and combs designed by Morrisey don’tseem to hide the smell and after recently observing the onboard sommelierspending 90% of the time with a VIP guest harks back to the Ansett days of theflying chief on the 747-300’s to HKG.
With the recent financial announcement/job losses we allhear from the analysts, on mass, but not much at all from the travellers whosebums are on those seats. It seems tobring home a lot of the observations we have all be seeing, especially afterthe much heralded QF – EK tie up which was going to bring the airline back towhat it was, fast forward 12 months and with the recent losses how bad could ithave been (or how much did it contribute? Will we ever know?)
Other things also ram it home;
- Recently opening up the Qantas inflight magazineto see the “red line” routes terminating at Dubai, with a single light onecontinuing to London. A bit of a sadview with the Jetstar routes swamping the red ones.
- Catching a QF flight which was an Emirates codesharedfrom Singapore, once a prime QF destination. I can remember as a kid watchingmy father pack into the old 707’s with his white “Jetabout” bag heading towardsthe Lion city. Now “codeshared”!
- Recently in London seeing an ad on TV forEmirates “fly to Australia” with not a mention of Qantas. (Even their websitehas little reference to QF, whereas Qantas has the “mating scene” with tail totail QF and EK).
Gut feeling is we got the wrong end of the pineapple in thedeal and we don’t seem to complain about it, but you can see some of thefallout when 2/3’s of the passengers in business class riding with Finnair beingAustralian. But of course with the demise of the Kangaroo, the big orange staris taking its place in Asia.
Am I being too pessimistic and sentimental in my old age, orjust have to face the reality that is the airline industry? But, you only haveto cast you mind back a few years to remember hearing boarding calls for Pan Am, TWA, Ansett, etc, etc......
With the recent financial announcement/job losses we allhear from the analysts, on mass, but not much at all from the travellers whosebums are on those seats. It seems tobring home a lot of the observations we have all be seeing, especially afterthe much heralded QF – EK tie up which was going to bring the airline back towhat it was, fast forward 12 months and with the recent losses how bad could ithave been (or how much did it contribute? Will we ever know?)
Other things also ram it home;
- Recently opening up the Qantas inflight magazineto see the “red line” routes terminating at Dubai, with a single light onecontinuing to London. A bit of a sadview with the Jetstar routes swamping the red ones.
- Catching a QF flight which was an Emirates codesharedfrom Singapore, once a prime QF destination. I can remember as a kid watchingmy father pack into the old 707’s with his white “Jetabout” bag heading towardsthe Lion city. Now “codeshared”!
- Recently in London seeing an ad on TV forEmirates “fly to Australia” with not a mention of Qantas. (Even their websitehas little reference to QF, whereas Qantas has the “mating scene” with tail totail QF and EK).
Gut feeling is we got the wrong end of the pineapple in thedeal and we don’t seem to complain about it, but you can see some of thefallout when 2/3’s of the passengers in business class riding with Finnair beingAustralian. But of course with the demise of the Kangaroo, the big orange staris taking its place in Asia.
Am I being too pessimistic and sentimental in my old age, orjust have to face the reality that is the airline industry? But, you only haveto cast you mind back a few years to remember hearing boarding calls for Pan Am, TWA, Ansett, etc, etc......
