Qantas brand badly tarnished

[Zanzara]

Maybe that explains this article in The Australian today:

Qantas execs, management, line up for three months of airport work

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/qantas-execs-management-line-up-for-three-months-of-airport-work/news-story/19393a8e7760eb2ba5746057741dd4e1

Sorry it's paywalled, relevant paragraphs from the article below:

Qantas has asked its senior executives and managers to join a new contingency program that would see them leave their jobs and work as ground handlers up to five days per week for three months.​

​

In a note to staff, the airline’s chief operating officer Colin Hughes said Qantas would recruit at least 100 managers, adding there was “no expectation that you will opt into this role on top of your full-time position”.​

​

[...]​

​

“During your time in the contingency program, you’ll be an embedded resource within the ground handling partners,” Mr Hughes wrote. “This means you’ll receive a roster, be scheduled to operate and be supervised and managed in the live operations by our grand (sic) handling partners.”​

​

As part of the program, staff will sort and scan bags and drive tugs – the vehicles used on the airport tarmac – moving luggage onto aircraft and between terminals.​

Chickens well and truely coming home to roost? I bet having a significant numbers of senior execs and management from head office driving tugs and sorting bags full time for 3 months at the airport wasn't on the list of risks when the idea of outsourcing the below the wing operation was being sold in.

Probably good publicity for a desperate QF to turn the tide of bad news stories? Much of it, but not all, self inflicted. Good opportunity for desk bound staff to get to the Airport ramp and work.

Interesting how they mention staff driving tugs. Hopefully, as these are tugs are next to aircraft worth millions, that move, the training staff will receive will be a bit better than what they've been given in the call centres... and moving bags.... without injuring themselves with manual handling strains???

 

[TheRealTMA]

Probably good publicity for a desperate QF to turn the tide of bad news stories? Much of it, but not all, self inflicted. Good opportunity for desk bound staff to get to the Airport ramp and work.

Interesting how they mention staff driving tugs. Hopefully, as these are tugs are next to aircraft worth millions, that move, the training staff will receive will be a bit better than what they've been given in the call centres... and moving bags.... without injuring themselves with manual handling strains???

Why would incompetent management think that putting untrained people in skilled baggage handling would be a good idea? Must be easy eh?

 

[woodyren]

Look like their pillows are also tarnished. This just posted from a friend on their way to the USA currently. Lovely.

 

[MooTime]

Look like their pillows are also tarnished. This just posted from a friend on their way to the USA currently. Lovely.

Disgusting... Did you mention it to the crew?
A replacement no doubt.

 

[woodyren]

Disgusting... Did you mention it to the crew?
A replacement no doubt.

It was posted by a friend. I messaged them suggesting for them to report the issue but have not heard futher.

 

[RooFlyer]

Some analytics of the diminution of the Qantas brand

High airfares a blow to Qantas brand, says new analysis of world’s top airlines

May be paywalled- try 12ft – Hop any paywall

The strength of the Qantas brand has been dented by high airfares, negative publicity and performance issues, according to new analysis of the world’s top airlines.

The Brand Finance report examined the economic credentials and marketing power of major airlines, along with consumer sentiment and media coverage.

Japan’s All Nippon Airways was rated the world’s strongest brand, followed by Korean Air, with Singapore Airlines’ fifth and Japan Airlines sixth.

Qantas slipped out of the top five for the first time since 2018, coming in at number seven.

Brand was considered particularly valuable in the airline industry, accounting for “anything from 18 to 25 per cent of overall enterprise value”, he said.

“Brand is a critical asset in the airline industry and is really a key determinant in terms of those businesses being able to extract a price premium,” Mr Crowe said.

“Certainly customers’ perceptions and their willingness to pay a premium are very much shaped by a brand that they are very favourable towards.”

The article goes on to look at absolute value of various airline brands

 

[Zanzara]

Article in the Australian about how QF is now amongst the 20 most distrusted companies and how ratings with Skytrax has fallen dramatically. Interestingly QR & VA have fallen too but SQ remains pretty high. Qantas’ poor showing in Skytrax world’s best airline awards — The Australian

 

[MooTime]

Article in the Australian about how QF is now amongst the 20 most distrusted companies and how ratings with Skytrax has fallen dramatically. Interestingly QR & VA have fallen too but SQ remains pretty high. Qantas’ poor showing in Skytrax world’s best airline awards — The Australian

Well QR fell 1 spot
VA fell 3 spots.
While
QF fell 12 spots. Worst result in the short history of the awards.

And the QF spokesperson says the results were started 9 months ago, not 12, yet Skytrax doesn't divulge these details. Anyway if so how does this put QF at a disadvantage..... Everybody in the same boat or plane.
Cop it on the chin..oh no not a chance.

 

[SCM]

The only surprising thing here is that Qantas is still even in the top 20!

 

[CaptJCool]

Some analytics of the diminution of the Qantas brand

High airfares a blow to Qantas brand, says new analysis of world’s top airlines

May be paywalled- try 12ft – Hop any paywall

the key sentence
“Certainly customers’ perceptions and their willingness to pay a premium are very much shaped by a brand that they are very favourable towards.”

these three explain the malady - (short supply of staff, especially many cabin crew and ground staff left the industry, and scarcity of aircraft parts and maintenance - on top of this high demand has seen two adjustments 1. the high priced tickets normally left unsold are getting sold because passengers have no other options but to pay them because there are limited flights AND 2. the double whammy BASE prices boosted 50% higher than pre-COVID)

Why is flying out of Australia so expensive?

Australian travellers are paying about 50 per cent more for international flights than before the pandemic.

www.afr.com

Qantas reveals $5 billion reason airfares are sky high

Aussies planning a getaway will be hit with higher prices thanks to this $5 billion reason. This is what you need to know.

au.news.yahoo.com

Qantas’ brand damage is getting worse

The airline needs to be more proactive in rebuilding its reputation after escalating criticism of its customer service. The censure has become increasingly credible.

www.afr.com

 

[Melburnian1]

The only surprising thing here is that Qantas is still even in the top 20!

Many private digital/print media subscribers find being 'welcomed to your own country' irrational and nauseating.

Then there's the political correctness from management who love to stray into issues of social policy beloved of small groups of noisy activists, but outside the remit of a CEO. By all means they can have their private view as to how one ought vote in a plebescite or referendum, but to preach their view to all and sundry in the community while ignoring (in this case) the basics of operating an airline such as punctuality and reliability is not a good look.

The way QF management treated its staff (and former staff) doesn't appear to have been optimal, to put it mildly, even if one accepts that at times it's necessary to slim down numbers in line with travel or broader economic cycles.

While airlines like ZL are also guilty (its Deputy Chairman!) QF's CEO seems to blame other alleged failings (be it 'weather', passengers not being 'match fit') for any deficiencies. It's never about something he ought have done (or not done).

Even when presented with obvious 'issues' such as the failure to deliver luggage to its destination on the same flight as the traveller, QF's spin doctors used a statistic that made the situation appear far better than it was.

One aviator on AFF reminded me that under Mr Joyce's reign, no new Qantas aircraft entered service. Recently, the same well respected person even suggested Mr Joyce hadn't given aspirant patrons any reason to fly with Qantas. Big statement.

It's far-fetched to claim just because transport equipment is old that it's not safe'. However, Qantas' fleet has aged dramatically in comparison to those in many major competitors' stables. Not a good look, with aircraft manufacturers' struggles with delivery times likely at some stage to delay deliveries of promised new aircraft. Then there's the question as to how QF with its sizeable debt pays for this estimated $12 to $15 billion of new aircraft, analysis best left to financial whizzes.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Your understanding of political correctness is inaccurate. It doesn't mean what your post implies it does.

 

[Zanzara]

The brand may be tarnished under his watch, but the share price and profitability is still doing very well. So much so that Uncle Alan has recently sold some of his ($17m worth) Alan Joyce sold shares into the Qantas buyback

 

[jpp42]

One aviator on AFF reminded me that under Mr Joyce's reign, no new Qantas aircraft entered service.

Sorry I'm confused, what about the B789's? I know they were ordered before Joyce but they entered service in 2015 for JQ and 2017 for QF, right? Joyce became CEO in 2008.

Not saying I disagree with the comments about Joyce being unable to take criticism. However Qantas is at least pretty progressive with its social and environmental positions which is what the majority of the country support, despite the loudness of the alternative view. I do think these positions are informed by the idea that it strengthens the brand long term.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Well QR fell 1 spot
VA fell 3 spots.
While
QF fell 12 spots. Worst result in the short history of the awards.

For me the real surprise was how far JQ fell on the ratings. One would think that with the record cancellations they had this would put them in a league of their own, particularly with travellers who want to stay an extra day at their destination on the airline's dime!

 

[MelbFlyer]

I'm not surprised tbh, considering how broken their website and contact centre teams are.

If a classic reward seat is showing and selectable online, then is it not false advertising that those said classic reward seats are NOT able to be used for existing reward bookings?

ie. I have a 6 leg classic rewards itinerary and I see a better flight time / higher cabin class that I wish to book (to replace an existing leg), only to be told any one of the following BS replies:

- We can't see the classic reward seats you can see online
- Those classic reward seats you see online are available only for new bookings
- There are no classic reward seats for that time / day (yet as I'm on the phone, I can literally see it!)

I'd like to do as much as possible myself and online, but given that calling is the only option to attempt to change reward itineraries, I have to resort to that.

After I finish my trip in October (booked via QFF points), I'm done with Qantas and will be re-accumulating VFF points instead.

I still have almost 100k QFF points that I'd be willing to sell just to close it off due to their BS, but I hang onto hope that they'll implement a new online system to be able to amend reward bookings.

I may be waiting forever though...

 

[RooFlyer]

I may be waiting forever though...

I’m hoping when the new CEO takes over there may be a charm offensive to win back some goodwill, although I don’t think cleaning up the offshore call centres will be either easy or quick ( given they were terrible well before Covid)

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I’m hoping when the new CEO takes over there may be a charm offensive to win back some goodwill....

I am certain that will happen. And then six months later will see the launch of Simplerer and Fairerer (tm) with dynamic award pricing for seats and status credit earn skewing heavily to high revenue selling classes.

 

[TheInsider]

I am certain that will happen. And then six months later will see the launch of Simplerer and Fairerer (tm) with dynamic award pricing for seats and status credit earn skewing heavily to high revenue selling classes.

Like I've said in another thread. If things like that are going to be done, then there are literally years of planning with Qantas to do it and implement it.... If it's being done, it's already being done.

 

[RooFlyer]

If it's being done, it's already being done.

You don’t think the new CEO will bring in any new initiatives?