Qantas Fleet Grounded 29/10

[RSD]

I am not sure a dummy spit in a speech, criticising Qantas management, will go down particularly well with a high powered American audience.
They will either consider it reflects badly on the speaker, fail to understand it, or consider it irrevelant.

I know how to write a speech to get my point across without it appearing to be a dummy spit especially as it's not a dummy spit but rather a message about corporate responsibilities and leadership. The organisors, sponsors and a lot of others are very pissed that Qantas have pulled this shutdown as not having the major award winner there takes a fair bit of shine off the night.

 

[Moopere]

I myself moved production to Asia 10 years ago due to high costs in Australia , a simple
choice was move or close down

And there you have it.

We can scream and fuss and wring our hands, and yell. But its actually simple in most or all of these cases. Compete or die.

Government gets larger and larger, requiring more money to fund it, taxes go up and up, compliance costs are already so large it factors hugely in management strategy. Wages _are_ high here, but overall, its not a simple wages issue, its that the cost of doing business here is out of control and unsustainable.

 

[justinbrett]

Is anyone able to access online check in for QLink?

 

[medhead]

I am booked on QF BNE-SYD next weekend and at this stage I am not too confident that Qantas will have lifted the grounding by then. I actually need to get back to SYD as would have been away for 2 weeks and then have another 3 weeks planned in BNE.

A refund of ~$150 for the return flight would not achieve anything. I have also seen what Virgin are charging for that weekend and let's just say that it is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. I wonder if my QF can route my BNE-SYD flights

Qantas have offered to refund the fare difference if booking with another airline for travel in the same class.

See here: Qantas Travel Alerts | Emergencies

I have a bit of a problem as I have rebooked with virgin tomorrow. I'm not sure if I should rebook my qantas flight to next year, hence locking in a cheap fare for February, say. Or to take the refund of fare and the difference for the new fare? Any comments/thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[dfcatch]

But what I heard reported is that all workers that benefit from the EBA will be locked out. That implies non-union members as well. Do you have more information on this?

I'm quoting from both AJ, and also the information posted on the QF website yesterday afternoon.

The wording referred to those workers covered by the ALAEA/TWU/AIPA proposed agreements.

Given that the ALP outlawed individual contracts and forced collective bargaining on everyone then I would assume (speculating here) that if you were a non-union member engineer covered by the proposed agreement then unfortunately you may also be locked out.

If this is the case then I feel sorry for them, and would be even more annoyed at both the unions, and the government for taking away my democratic right to strike an employment agreement directly with my employer.

Again - i'm speculating, but you make be correct in your implication.

 

[dfcatch]

You are just making a bunch of one sided generalisations about ALP, Government and IR. What is your point? Stab at the ALP?
I think it is YOU who has a flawed understanding about politics and government.

Actually, as someone who has a background in politics - I understand it very well.

My point is that an ALP government is not an impartial independent umpire, and that the constitutional structure of the ALP limits their ability to be independent of trade unions.

This is no doubt a complicating factor vis a vis the suggestion that "asking for government involvement" would have been all it took to avoid this current situation.

It's not a stab at the ALP (although it could be, depending on the argument), it's an observation of fact.

Let's not forget that Tony Sheldon is likely to win the next ALP Presidency.

Hardly makes the government an "honest broker" for Qantas to work with.

The law is their best support, and they are using their lawful options available to them.

 

[ajw373]

This thread and issue seems to be a magnet for the more rabid right-wingers on this forum, but I will put my two cents in nonetheless because my skin is equally as thick as some peoples' skulls.

Now I am led to believe that Qantas makes around a $500m profit (or at least it did last year - these things wax and wane). Qantas management have also said that international operations lose about $215m, and need to be offshored/outsourced to operate at a profit.

Now stupid me looks at the big picture and says why does every single Qantas business need to make a profit?

Actually the profit was closer to $250m and that included about $95m paid as compensation by Rolls Royce. Now forgetting that for a second, even a $250m profit, or a $500m for that matter is quite poor for a company like Qantas that has many $b of dollars invested in it. As an investor you would get a better return by putting your money in the bank than investing in Qantas. And that is what it is all about, it is a BUSINESS not a benevolant society which is what the unions seem to think it is.

 

[LiamR]

Slightly OT..

I got a call from work about an hour ago asking if I can fly down to Sydney today and do some extra work.

I said I'm more than happy to come down, but they might want to turn on the news.

"What, you mean, all flights? All of them? Cancelled"

Liam: Yet.

"Oh, well, nevermind them"

 

[Kendall Roy]

Wall Photos | Facebook

mmmmmmmmm :shock:

 

[BensAdventures]

Slightly OT..

I got a call from work about an hour ago asking if I can fly down to Sydney today and do some extra work.

I said I'm more than happy to come down, but they might want to turn on the news.

"What, you mean, all flights? All of them? Cancelled"

Liam: Yet.

"Oh, well, nevermind them"

Nice topic change! Boss never heard of the internet or any modern news service??

 

[MatF]

I'm booked WGA-SYD-BNE tomorrow morning, and have just spent an hour on the phone with AMEX Business Travel trying to get a backup plan in place.

There are no VA or Jetstar seats now available any time tomorrow for SYD-BNE according to AMEX

Gotta love AMEX travel .... I just checked the VA website, and there are still seats available SYD-BNE tomorrow. *sigh*

 

[Flying mermaid]

Nice topic change! Boss never heard of the internet or any modern news service??

maybe Boss has a life that doesn't include stressing over planes during the weekend

 

[thewinchester]

If ANZ had spare aircraft, they could just use those on domestic routes. New Zealand carriers are entitled to run flying domestically in Australia.

Correct, as this is permitted under ANZCERTA (an economic cooperation agreement between AU and NZ) which provides domestic carriers operating under an NZ-issued AOC domestic cabotage rights within Australia.

As for the other carriers such as SQ and EY, they can only have emergency cabotage rights for a maximum 7d upon application to and approval of CASA (per the Civil Aviation Act (Cwlth) 1988, Section 27A).

Slightly OT..

I got a call from work about an hour ago asking if I can fly down to Sydney today and do some extra work.

I said I'm more than happy to come down, but they might want to turn on the news.
<snip>

You missed your perfect opportunity to try and score a private jet flight!

And you call yourself a frequent flyer :mrgreen:

 

[LiamR]

maybe Boss has a life that doesn't include stressing over planes during the weekend

Nice topic change! Boss never heard of the internet or any modern news service??

No boss, it was the operations department. Which I thought, keeping up with current events, espically those in Aviation (Which is what their department's job is to do).

Then again, it's based in CBR so who knows if they have internet or not.

On a serious note, I think they didn't realise because SYD/CBR is still operating.

 

[RSD]

Finally got through to QF customer service service a few minutes ago about my bookings. If anyone still thinks that they care about their frequent flyers well you would only need to have listened to that conversation for a couple of minutes to have your dreams shattered!

 

[Moopere]

My speech includes a nice piece about how this has come about due to Qantas employing a CEO that has no passion for the brand and can't communicate with it's staff.

The audience includes the CEO's of a reasonable number of the biggest corporations in America, and a couple of former Presidents.

Yikes! I wouldn't do that mate. To an audience like you are describing, who understand how big business actually works, you will come across as an absolute tool.

 

[BensAdventures]

Bill Shorten has just entered FWA to show his support for the Union's! I know he's an ex ACTU President, but now he's Assistant Treasurer, surely trying to keep this issue apolitical from a Federal Government perspective would be preferred. I guess though this further proves why Labor was so unwilling to get involved.

Adam Bandt has also gone to FWA to support the protesters! Constituents of Melbourne, bow your heads!

 

[Cynicor]

Does anyone know if qantas will cover me for my hotel, and the caps for food? The first time I managed to get through to them I forgot to ask, as it was midnight and my gf was stressing about exams.
Have tried multiple times today but my mobile/qantas is cutting out after ~60min on hold.

 

[11sjw]

Does anyone know if qantas will cover me for my hotel, and the caps for food? The first time I managed to get through to them I forgot to ask, as it was midnight and my gf was stressing about exams.
Have tried multiple times today but my mobile/qantas is cutting out after ~60min on hold.

Qantas Flight Disruptions

 

[straitman]

Does anyone know if qantas will cover me for my hotel, and the caps for food? The first time I managed to get through to them I forgot to ask, as it was midnight and my gf was stressing about exams.
Have tried multiple times today but my mobile/qantas is cutting out after ~60min on hold.

I have the same question but thought I might give it a day or two for the mud to clear a little :!: