Building a stronger Qantas

[oz_mark]

So does Tiger :shock:

Not that Tiger (or Jetstar Asia for that matter), have an extensive array of routes from Australia.

Air Austral aren't doing well...

 

[dajop]

I still maintain JQ are not as successful as people make out, at least when it comes to getting bums on seats, for instance in May the seat utilisation makes for interesting reading

I agree, which is why QF are looking at "Qantasia". Not that any one ever will, but it would be interesting to see the JQi figures with NZ & Bali stripped out. I think 3K has been quite successful though.

 

[medhead]

I still maintain JQ are not as successful as people make out, at least when it comes to getting bums on seats, for instance in May the seat utilisation makes for interesting reading

I very much agree based on the quarterly update that was released recently as well. Qantas airline profit grew much more than Jetstar's.

 

[rechoboam]

The 2 out of 10 thing has happened for more reasons than just management being asleep at the wheel. For a start other airlines have aggressively expanded into the Australian market - and have been able to gain real traction because the location of the Qantas hub means that 7 out 10 Australians have to backtrack to fly to Asia or Europe via Sydney (compounded by the logisitics of the transfer at SYD). Other airlines have all been able to expand their services and take advantage of better located hubs whether it is EK, SQ, MH, CX or TG and more recently QR & EY, through multiple daily services to the likes of MEL, BNE & PER and even sustaining daily services to ADL. Which is why QF are looking at the Qantasia option.

And there is no doubt QF have also ignored secondary cities for a long time, allowing other to come in and cement themselves almost as the "home" carriers. Melbourne is a point in case, really 5m isn't an insignificant population (including Victoria as a whole), and nor are some of the companies that have their head offices there. But SQ and EK both have as many non-stop flights to the "the world" (beyond NZ) as QF do. As a native Melburnian I almost felt more affinity to SQ than QF as they seemed a logical choice to fly anywhere to avoid the dreaded SYD! Furthermore, QF sponsors the wallabies (which only reinforces the Sydneycentric perceptions ), meanwhile EK sponsors the Melbourne Cup and Collingwood -the team that ignites the most passion (either positive or negative) out of all AFL teams. Of course geography plays a big part in this, but no wonder it is 2 out 10!!

Good point. Emirates also are longtime sponsors of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

 

[notzac]

An interesting opinion piece by the Cranky Flier: http://crankyflier.com/2011/08/18/qantas-lays-out-its-conflicting-plans-to-fix-itself/

(love the picture! )

 

[Paddy55]

An interesting opinion piece by the Cranky Flier: Qantas Lays Out Its Conflicting Plans to Fix Itself - >> The Cranky Flier

(love the picture! )

Yes, good analysis... and the picture is a ripper!

Paddy

 

[KitKat]

Qantas Spoof - YouTube
just been reminded of this Chaser skit... some relevant issues then and now

I am sad that QF is going the way it is..
Since 2006 had moved over all my international flying from SQ to QF (and OW), but reevaluating my options now. I feel that QF service has deteriorated in the past few years - I agree that it is the SERVICE which brings everything together..

Sigh, can only hope that QF board and management realize that this is where the battle is..

 

[JohnK]

Please oh please MEL_Traveller where did you find the party pies recently.I miss them.

You miss party pies?

 

[connieguy]

Qantas Spoof - YouTube
just been reminded of this Chaser skit... some relevant issues then and now

I am sad that QF is going the way it is..
Since 2006 had moved over all my international flying from SQ to QF (and OW), but reevaluating my options now. I feel that QF service has deteriorated in the past few years - I agree that it is the SERVICE which brings everything together..

Sigh, can only hope that QF board and management realize that this is where the battle is..

Well said and so true. Old saying: Pay peanuts. Get monkeys.

Provide real quality service (sorry lip service or belief will not cut it) and the Paxs will come. Don't think so? Well wonder why I'm doing the F Taster Run to sample F on 4 other top airlines so as to compare them against QF.

In real estate it is the 3 Ps. Position, Position, Position. In flying it is the 3 Ss. Safety, Service, Schedule.

QF doesn't need Qantasia to provide the 3 Ss. It just needs to fix what needs fixing. If QF can't or will not recognize there are real issues that need fixing in QFd and Qfi then running off to Asia to build 3 airlines (JQ Sin included) will not fix anything but only transfer the existing issues that need fixing but are not see by QF to need fixing to the other airlines.

So please QF fix what needs and is crying out to be fixed now. Not sure what needs fixing? Just read the various threads on AFF. It is all there and we are all your customers that would dearly love to see so many issues addressed and fixed.

Please listen to your FFer customers who really do have the best interest of QF at heart.

 

[Toula92122]

From what I am hearing loads on the JQ flights to Vietnam have been very light lately - something like less than 50 passengers some flights.

I think their biggest issue with the JQ international flights out of DRW is timing. I've done the DRW-SGN RT a couple of times and not sure that I would do it again because of the incoming flight being an overnight and even though it's a short one it turns into the flight from hell.

For me issue with Qantas is staff attitude. If you want me to pay you a premium for supposedly being the best start acting like it. Show me the customer some respect.

 

[drron]

Quite frankly the figures for May show QF and JQ not doing too badly-the Japanese market had been decimated(see JALs figures).
Although VA appear to be doing the best add in Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue and the figures would be a fair bit lower.And of course they pulled out of South africa and coughet-imagine the uproar if QF cut 2 destinations out!

As for paying peanuts aren't QF staff at least equal in pay to their competitors?I keep thinking of AA where the staff genuinely dislike their CEO,the unions are in a protracted battle with management over salaries and conditions and the only reason there hasn't been strikes is Government regulation.Yet despite that I see more smiling AA staff than QF.Why is it so?

 

[markis10]

Not that Tiger (or Jetstar Asia for that matter), have an extensive array of routes from Australia.

Air Austral aren't doing well...

it should be noted on that data for other airlines besides Australian based ones is for uplift/discharge only, if they are operating via Australia to another destination then the seat load will be out of whack, Emirates and Austral are specifically mentioned. Also of note is the BITRE figures recording 1 QF flight to BKK and 3 back - so there must be an error there.

 

[Leumas]

I was creating another thread, but wanted to include a note in this one, becuase I can't see how AJ can claim to be at the top of a premium airline with the best frequent flyer program, when this is what I/we have to put up with as premium pax.

I'm still waiting for Red Roo to answer my question posted many pages ago - On what measures do they claim QFF is the 'best' program? 'Best' for whom?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

regarding the redundancies.... someone made the comment that without the extra aircraft the additional crews aren't needed. fair enough for the flight deck crew, but as for cabin crew... ever though of the idea of transferring those crew to existing flights to bring numbers up to their counterparts?


straight off I really see a major issue for the new premium airline... passengers are not going to book if they cannot complete the transaction on-line.

qantas currently requires all passengers booking ex Thailand or ex china to present their credit card at the local office within two days of booking in order for tickets to be issued. this is 'the law' according to qantas.

I just cannot see this working to require hundreds of passengers a day to trek across town to get a ticket. you simply wouldn't bother and would go with someone else to whom these laws don't seem to apply.

 

[markis10]

I wonder if some B744s are going to JQ Asia given the application placed with the IASC yesterday for codeshares between SIN and BKK/HKT: "Qantas have applied [

PDF: 55 KB] to the Commission for an allocation of fourteen B747 equivalent frequencies per week to be used for third country code share services on the route. Other applications for the capacity are invited."

 

[oz_mark]

I wonder if some B744s are going to JQ Asia given the application placed with the IASC yesterday for codeshares between SIN and BKK/HKT: "Qantas have applied [

PDF: 55 KB] to the Commission for an allocation of fourteen B747 equivalent frequencies per week to be used for third country code share services on the route. Other applications for the capacity are invited."

I doubt it - the actual application from Qantas is for 14 frequencies, no mention of numbers.

(I've always wondered why the IASC talks in 747 equivalent frequencies!)

 

[Major]

Don't remind me as I had purchased Lifetime Golden Wings membership when it first became available and had a LOT of points or miles or what ever Golden Wings used. Was not a good experience. So today I share it around.

I still have some Golden Wings lounge passes if anyone needs them

 

[ajw373]

I did provide the quote, but to go over it again - just had to double check myself. The exact words are:

"Jetstar Japan, for example, will be allocated 24 Qantas aircraft, thus removing them from the Australian operator's balance sheet"

This is an example following on from the previous paragraph "on the capital management front" about how the 2 new companies are structured off balance sheet.

The key words is removing the 24 qantas aircraft. That suggests the aircraft are current with qantas. It seems pointless to shuffle the new aircraft via qantas if the new company is set up specifically as a separate company. Even so shuffling new aircraft via qantas does not remove anything from the balance sheet. Ordered aircraft that aren't currently on the balance sheet and that will only be there for a short timeframe won't actually reduce anything.

I find the whole thing to be puzzling.

What was the source, because the press release about the A320 order and Jetstar Japan make it clear the a/c will be A320's so clearly not coming from the Qantas fleet. I would imagine some seed units would come from Jetstar though.

 

[harvyk]

I still have some Golden Wings lounge passes if anyone needs them

Yeah, send a couple this way...

 

[ajw373]

There is nothing in the Qantas CEO's statement that addresses the core problem - the shocking decline of the Australian outbound market to 18%. No plans to address the reasons for this decline besides blaming the big ugly subsidised Middle-Eastern carriers. What about the generally very average QF in-cabin service and the long waits on hold (even though I am a 'valued' caller). What about the on-going reduction in destinations and now the snuggling up to One World partners so that we can change aircraft in the middle of the night. What about the premium we have to pay to enjoy the 'priviledge' of flying QF - a 3 star airline at the moment that is delusional in thinking it is 5 star. What about turning up at the airport and finding out that your QF flight number is really for a JQ aircraft.
The decline of Qantas International will continue until there are only a few routes operated - via Singapore to London; to LAX; to Tokyo and maybe one other mainline destination somewhere in China - this 'rationalisation' will be justified by noting the decline in their market share to less than 10%. All other routes will be operated by Jetstar or one of the One World pals.

And then there is the new to be premium airline somewhere in Asia to be equipped with aircraft that don't have the range to service Australia (not sure about the neo). Makes a lot of sense eh?

We can kiss QF goodbye in the next decade. Make sure you use your FF points and don't get stuck with a bundle like happened with Ansett!

I think you will find that rather than competing with the ME carriers, who have Qantas over the barrel with destinations, meaning Qantas really cannot compete with them, they are instead focusing on routes closer to home by using the new Asian airline to increase where you can get to on their network thus taking passengers away from the Asian carriers. So the plan is about increasing share out of Australia AND entering new markets to expand, because there is stuff all growth left in Australia. Sensible move actually because it makes no sense what so ever for Qantas to increase their reach beyond 1 stop (meaning Asia and America), except to a few key destinations to link with other OneWorld partners.

This is exactly what all the European carriers flying to Australia did a good 10 years ago, including BA who reduced their routes to Aus to just 2, using Qantas for the rest.