QANTAS talking to the disaffected!

[jb747]

No seats?

Hah. I wouldn't dream of using staff travel these days. That's something else that the corridor creepers managed to destroy. No, I'm a paying customer like most others here, but perhaps with a bit more knowledge about what actually goes on with some of the airlines that I hear being called 'good'.

 

[RooFlyer]

I've been sitting on the sidelines for a while reading this and other threads about QF, changes, gripes, etc etc, but I just see it as pointless other than to expel grievances. This is QF's business model!!! It makes money, and they "ain't" going to change. When you replace a CEO with the CFO, the Board is happy with the way things are, so why bring in new blood and ideas? They chase after the business end of the plane, sweetened by Chairman's Lounge and Pt1, and throw breadcrumbs to the rest. They lose court cases and face, but they still make money; I don't see many posts from shareholders here complaining about their dividends.

I agree with everything you say, but customers shouldn't just shrug their shoulders and silently put up with it. The media would be the airline's entry point for applying pressure, and that's where customers complaints (in general) have a chance of being addressed.

I know that having taken 75% of my international business to other airlines (85% for domestic), they haven't missed me one bit. But I really would like to fly on the pre-Joycean airline that I once really liked to be on.

 

[leadman]

I agree with everything you say, but customers shouldn't just shrug their shoulders and silently put up with it. The media would be the airline's entry point for applying pressure, and that's where customers complaints (in general) have a chance of being addressed.

I know that having taken 75% of my international business to other airlines (85% for domestic), they haven't missed me one bit. But I really would like to fly on the pre-Joycean airline that I once really liked to be on.

I agree, but I think, like you, it's been over a long period of time, and our stories are now the "fish & chip" wrappers. At some point you have to stop banging your head against the wall (Qantas) and get on with your travelling life. Also, like you, most of my travel has moved away from QF, I just do my sums to get over the 1200 per annum.

A mate and I were brainstorming some time ago on some novel ways to counteract the HR/PR bull, and we thought of buzzword bingo on the sappy words played during the safety video; 1. for the first time on an aircraft everyone would be paying attention to the message and 2. it would be hilarious for the plane to call out "bingo". Then we can all launch in and do a rendition of "I still call Australia home" on take-off (tissues provided).

But i do miss very much sitting in the upper deck of the QF 747's heading towards LAX. Those were the days........

 

[RooFlyer]

But i do miss very much sitting in the upper deck of the QF 747's heading towards LAX. Those were the days........

Yes, even with the 2-2 saggy skybeds (unless you are talking Captain Cook Lounge - I never experienced that!!)

 

[JackMiles]

I was one of the detractors and I went to two focus group sessions earlier this year at Mascot.

Amongst others, VH and Andrew Finch (General Counsel) were at one of them. Andrew Glance (CEO of Loyalty) was at the other.

Sincere question; why would General Counsel attend this?

 

[elanshin]

I've been sitting on the sidelines for a while reading this and other threads about QF, changes, gripes, etc etc, but I just see it as pointless other than to expel grievances. This is QF's business model!!! It makes money, and they "ain't" going to change. When you replace a CEO with the CFO, the Board is happy with the way things are, so why bring in new blood and ideas? They chase after the business end of the plane, sweetened by Chairman's Lounge and Pt1, and throw breadcrumbs to the rest. They lose court cases and face, but they still make money; I don't see many posts from shareholders here complaining about their dividends.
So, let's run a few workshops showing we are doing something - they have a great HR/PR/Marketing team. Just look at the sappy ads on TV and the safety video on the plane (it's a wonder they don't market their own tissues). I'm guessing they run a variant of the "boiled frog scenario" where once complaints start to flow, the temperature is turned down.
But if they were losing money, wow, it would be a different ballgame!
Am I happy about it? Of course not, but that is business and when profits count, (the major kpi in bonuses), not much is going to go back to what it was. A 20+ year WP, I will still use the company, watch the sappy ads, and know "business is business" (sadly).

What we don't know however is how much of this core business they're losing. Is it 1%, is it 5% is it more.

While there will always be corporate customers, losing 5% of those accounts does hurt and does send a message to the company.

 

[JohnK]

I can't imagine Qantas doesn't know what customers are dissatisfied with. I mean, it's not a bad thing for VH to talk to customers, but I can't imagine it's actually necessary for any sort of positive change.

Surely is stopping positive change is the cost or lack of staff.

Award ticket availability and support.

Customer service.

There are other issues but I think these are the most important? Hire a few more customer service consultants and train them properly takes care of most of the issues.

 

[CaptJCool]

Award ticket availability and support.

Customer service.

There are other issues but I think these are the most important? Hire a few more customer service consultants and train them properly takes care of most of the issues.

Agreed
It takes months to train service consultants. (My son does that kind of job for an energy company). Lots to learn
Plenty of it stock standard
But the range of one Orf questions. Well you only need look at this forum to see that

Yes this is pretty much spot on. At my previous company I used to analyse response data from Medallia and the NPS scale is 0-6 detractors, 7-8 passives, 9-10 promotors. In reality anything an 8 or under on the "Would you recommend x to a friend or family member?" question was looked at pretty closely - depends on the company though I suppose.

I hate that question
They are asking you to be an UNPAID talking head for them
They can stock that where the sun don’t shine

They have always been the high cost carrier - since August 2023 I sense they’ve been bleeding revenue. They did slash their inflated prices for domestic J
There’s been some competitive pressure and there’s been the continuation of the Work From Home movement advanced by the Fed govt signing Orf on the 5 days at home work

As it is QF CARRIES at the peak 65% of domestic market and 15% of international market so people do vote with their feet - those F & J prices just seem to be “highway robbery”

 

[RooFlyer]

Sincere question; why would General Counsel attend this?

I was wondering the same thing.

Maybe Hudson hauled him along to hear about complaints that he was involved with ( although delegated down, I can’t imagine that the delegation didn’t go over his desk before hand). The illegal sacking of workers, for one.

I imagine any intimidation function could be done with any lawyer there.

 

[CMA222]

Sincere question; why would General Counsel attend this?

Perhaps VH was concerned that there would be questions about the "bundle of (no) rights" and other T's and C's related issues and she wanted someone there to be able to head them off (baffle with legalise), or someone to make pragmatic statements that VH did not want to make or could not make without taking advice.

 

[RooFlyer]

Perhaps VH was concerned that there would be questions about the "bundle of (no) rights" and other T's and C's related issues and she wanted someone there to be able to head them off (baffle with legalise), or someone to make pragmatic statements that VH did not want to make or could not make without taking advice.

I agree with all of that but again the question is why the General Counsel? The top legal banana. Any of the decent company lawyers could answer questions and provide advice in a forum like this composed of Joes public.

Perhaps it was something from Hudson like “okay all executive team, if I’m going to front this, we’re all going to suffer together”

 

[Happy Dude]

Sincere question; why would General Counsel attend this?

forewarned is forearmed

 

[DAC1]

Sincere question; why would General Counsel attend this?

For context, he only attended 1 out of the 2 sessions I went to and I know there were at least 3-4 other sessions that were run (as I was given the option of different times).

I honestly expect it just came down to executive team availability and wanting to make sure a couple of them were present at each session. I don’t think there’s anything more to it.

As I said previously, the executive team generally just listened to the issues that the participants spoke about. The executives didn’t actually say that much, I suspect they just wanted the participants to feel like they were being heard.

 

[bashworth]

Somethings seems to be happening to try and keep frequent flyers more 'on side'. Last night I was flying economy back to Melbourne from Delhi with my wife (Both Gold) and for the first time ever the Cabin Supervisor came over after the first meal service and said " Welcome back, is there anything I can help you with?"

 

[Big John]

I reckon having VH there is a win.

Can’t imagine AJ attending one of these sessions !

 

[dk4]

QF has had Campari for quite a while. At least on North American routes.

Jetstar started serving 23rd St Gin a few years ago which I really like (from SA). Enough with Beefeater, it may as well be Gordons.

IMO - QF notched up the domestic business class inflight Scotch recently, from Chivas to J.W. Black Label.

 

[oz_mark]

Somethings seems to be happening to try and keep frequent flyers more 'on side'. Last night I was flying economy back to Melbourne from Delhi with my wife (Both Gold) and for the first time ever the Cabin Supervisor came over after the first meal service and said " Welcome back, is there anything I can help you with?"

Haven't they been doing that for years?

 

[bashworth]

Haven't they been doing that for years?

Might have been saying that when I got on for years when they saw Gold on the boarding card, . . . but not individually approached mid flight!

 

[TheInsider]

Might have been saying that when I got on for years when they saw Gold on the boarding card, . . . but not individually approached mid flight!

Depends on how many other 'special people' there are above you on the flight. May not have been premium heavy.

 

[moa999]

about what actually goes on with some of the airlines that I hear being called 'good'.

Assume Indian airlines are on that list.

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