27th February Big Qantas announcement

[Intra]

This has been a fascinating read! Its for this reason though I picked VA over QF when I started flying seriously last year and was able to earn the SCs; Sure, QF/VA DOM is quite an even debate on things depending on you fly with, but QFi just sucks! After reading all the posts as the days have gone on, I can see Int.only getting worse (It already has, re: SSA Codeshare gone) How many more routes will be fobbed off to The Orange Cancer...

My question is now, whose going to shoot the gun and start the actual, official topic on the big news - Maybe start one topic sooner rather than everyone starting new topics all over the place come Thursday - I don't want to be flicking between topics Nor do I think Mods will be having fun merging them altogether!

Interesting times ahead, for everyone, not juts QF....

 

[thommo50]

Simple fact people. Staff are paid far more than the competition pays their staff, taxes are higher in australua, superannuation etc etc. It goes on. I'm not saying they are overpaid, they do have a demanding and high pressure job and are extremely skilled people, but, when other carriers pay half the tax, half the wages, no / less fuel taxes, how the hell can they compete. Australia is taxing itself out of business and the unions are doing their bit with unsustainable wage demands

Apart from the pilots how are they extremely skilled people? I would hardly call negotiating a trolley down an aisle or taking food and drink orders and picking up dirty food trays as being extremely skilled. After speaking to a Virgin hostie off the job Qantas have it so much easier than other hosties on other carriers. Actually she said Qantas hosties would turn their noses up to the jobs that hosties on other carriers have to do.

Another thing that turned me off a bit as well was, on a flight to Manila a few weeks ago a guy one of the male hosties was complaining to me that they aren't being booked into the Sofitel hotel Manila anymore, they have to stay at the Marriot. I said what was wrong with the Marriot? The poor petal was quite disgusted that he had to stay at that 5 start hotel instead of another 5 star hotel. Now I stay at the Marriot quite frequently when I'm there and I pay for it out of my own pocket. Its a great hotel in my books. Why should hosties have to be pampered in such a way, I can understand spending big for pilots but trolley dollies? Give me a break

 

[N860CR]

I'm not a unionist in the slightest... But how are the unions pricing Australia out of the market. The cost of living here is what it is. Do you suggest people who have worked for a highly specialized qualification just bend over and get paid below what it costs to live in Australia?

There are plenty of skilled workers at Qantas (pilots in particular) who are paid less than an employee of Aldi or woolworths.

 

[ketsuzei]

how are they extremely skilled people?

I'm sure there are some skills there, but also a fair bit of fat that can be trimmed.

Spoke to a CA who had the Japanese flag on her name badge earlier this month... she could not speak Japanese at all, but said that she gets something like $5 per week (or flight?) for having done a course during the bubble years of the late 1980s.

$5 a week isn't all that much in the big scheme of things, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were similar things like that, and it all adds up.

 

[whatmeworry]

I'm sure there are some skills there, but also a fair bit of fat that can be trimmed.

Not to mention quite a bit of fat that could be trimmed off the waistline's off some FA's.

Just imagine the fuel savings!

 

[JessicaTam]

Apart from the pilots how are they extremely skilled people?
<snip>

When you are on a flight when something goes wrong, I am sure you will discover how skilled the flight attendants* are.

*note correct use of terminology

 

[ash.1111]

Not to mention quite a bit of fat that could be trimmed off the waistline's off some FA's.

Just imagine the fuel savings!

I know you're joking, but I have to put in my 2c here. Flight attendants are people, too, and I bet you wouldn't like someone going in to your office and saying that some of your coworkers (or yourself, for that matter) could lose some weight.

Again, I know you're joking and I don't want to cause problems here, but I dislike the idea of flight attendants being judged on their physical appearance, with the exception of hair/makeup/dress etc.

 

[ash.1111]

While I wouldn't say FAs are highly skilled compared to lots of other professions out there, they do take part in twice-yearly exams that go over a lot of different safety, security and medical aspects that they hope will never happen (but do from time to time). The ground training is approximately 6-8 weeks before you even get online (ie start flying).

Not to mention the minimum exam and prac scores required to keep (yes, keep) your job, plus the 100s of pages of procedures which you must know throughly.

It's not exactly rocket science, but it's also no walk in the park, either.

When you are on a flight when something goes wrong, I am sure you will discover how skilled the flight attendants* are.

*note correct use of terminology

 

[fly2much]

If they hive off any of the A380 fleet, it will be the lot. So my random speculation (which is as good as anyone elses here!) I'd say what's left of the A380 order is at risk. The 747s will go, and some 777s will roll on in....

I am with you.
767's will go
747's will go - with some 777's or something else to get to DFW.

Lots of redundancies for all those and sundry who work in/on the 767's and 747's. I think the crew that work the 330's and the 380's are on a lesser pay/more flexible arrangement? (is this correct)

QFF will be listed - maybe they will sell down 10-15% or something - so it has a value that can be pointed at.

JNB will go down to 4 times a week or something...

AJ should also announce that he will resign Q1 2015 to let someone new get a clean go at it...

Then again - I will probably be wrong.

f2m

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I am with you.
767's will go

Then again - I will probably be wrong.

f2m

The 767's going has already been announced and been in the planning for years. There is nothing new there

 

[lovestotravel]

767's were to all go by mid 2015 but I expect this to be moved forward a little
747's non-refurbished to be retired ASAP, replaced with either 330 flights (Tokyo), JQ flights or routes cancelled
330 refurbishment pushed back
JQ expansion on domestic
QF reduction on domestic

Sad times

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm confused. I thought the domestic business was profitable and only QFi was losing money? Why would there be a change to QFd? Or have things changed?

 

[Danger]

Global Travel Media » Blog Archive » Qantas ends SAA pact but denies it will cut London

Global Travel Media » Blog Archive » Will Qantas fire 3000 workers and then rehire them?

 

[lovestotravel]

I'm confused. I thought the domestic business was profitable and only QFi was losing money? Why would there be a change to QFd? Or have things changed?

Who know what is really happening, but there is only so much more than can be cut from QFi so QFd will be next!

 

[Mr_Orange]

330 refurbishment pushed back

That makes no business sense at all. The refurbs are already 2 years late, to delay further would just be another self driven nail in the coffin.

Actually, hang on, that sounds like exactly the sort decision that AJ would make!!

 

[TomVexille]

When you are on a flight when something goes wrong, I am sure you will discover how skilled the flight attendants* are.

*note correct use of terminology

How do I like this again?

 

[ketsuzei]

flight attendants*

*note correct use of terminology

Noted in the QF context.

 

[lovestotravel]

That makes no business sense at all. The refurbs are already 2 years late, to delay further would just be another self driven nail in the coffin.

Actually, hang on, that sounds like exactly the sort decision that AJ would make!!

Exactly! :evil:

A quick cost saving measure to drive more people to the competition

 

[QPProletarian]

2013 Annual Report

Enhancing alliances, launch of Emirates partnership Qantas’ world leading airline partnership with Emirates was successfully launched on 31 March 2013.

The partnership delivers on Qantas’ outstanding customer product offering and enables Qantas to provide its customers with 98 weekly services between Australia and Dubai. Dubai’s 24 hour hub provides seamless connections to over 175 destinations worldwide for Qantas customers. This has enabled the exit of loss making routes and the restructure of the Asian network.

The Qantas and Emirates partnership continues to expand with joint network bookings across the trans-Tasman available from August 2013. Together, we will operate around 130 services per week from Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown to Australian east coast cities – then onwards to more than 65 destinations in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.

With increased dedicated capacity to Singapore and Hong Kong, enabling more same-day connectivity across Asia, Qantas International is well placed to better service the Asian market – the world’s fastest growing aviation market. Ongoing enhancement to the Asian code shares, including the expansion of the China Eastern partnership, will also deliver improved connectivity and reach into Asia.

The gateway strategy extends beyond the Emirates Partnership and Asia:
» Daily flying into Dallas Fort Worth, with connections to American Airlines’ US domestic network.
» Ongoing discussions with LATAM to strengthen Santiago as the gateway to South America, with TAM joiningoneworld in 2014.
» Reaffirming our partnership with South African Airways, opening up southern Africa via Johannesburg.

So I guess DFW and Santiago cuts are also on the cards if this is anything to go by

 

[amaroo]

I'm not a unionist in the slightest... But how are the unions pricing Australia out of the market. The cost of living here is what it is. Do you suggest people who have worked for a highly specialized qualification just bend over and get paid below what it costs to live in Australia?

There are plenty of skilled workers at Qantas (pilots in particular) who are paid less than an employee of Aldi or woolworths.

Salary paid is only one component. Inefficient work practices are far more damaging to a companies bottom line.

I.E. a work force that demands to maintain modern equipment with outdated practices really isn't doing itself any favours!