Re: QF CEO speech - dom fare restructure/profit update/RR settlement& Int Route chang
My view in all this is that QF is all but finished. I do not like Joyce and would have him shipped back to Ireland in a trice if it were in my power. He certainly learnt well from Dixon.
Maybe I have a selective memory, but I hanker for the days when James Strong was CEO. I am sure that Qantas ran so much better in those days and travelling international was very pleasant. Now it has just all gone to the dogs. Any wonder they are losing money.
I seriously doubt the Qantas board has any idea, if they did, they'd never have appointed Joyce in the first place. One has to wonder how Qantas would be faring now if they had not overlooked John Borghetti. But one thing is certain Alan Joyce has become VA's biggest asset now.
Feel sorry for Julia, imagine having the destruction of an Aussie icon like Qantas as part of your Prime Ministerial legacy. Not a good thought. One can only hope she decides that is a step too far and finds a way to rescue the airline from Joyce.
There are no easy answers. They have made some bad decisions along the way and have had to deal with abnormal disasters, though other airlines have been similarly affected. The unions are not helping and whilst I agree that the workers need to be treated fairly and paid a decent wage, it needs to come with working conditions that meet modern requirements as we all have to submit to these days.
On my recent trip to the UK, I flew SIA to Singapore, Air Asia X (premium) to London and then QF home to Melbourne on the second newest A380. The QF flight was the worst. I was a dreadful flight and I got home with my neck out and a shocking headache due to the uncomfortable seats.
The Singapore Airlines A380 was fine, but Qantas have wasted their money. Obviously the marketing people who try to tell us what a wonderful experience these new planes are have never travelled down the back in cattle class. The narrow, uncomfortable seats and claustrophobic spaces are awful. The old 747's were better. When the SIA A380 landed, the captain brought it down so gently you would hardly know we'd touched the ground. Both QF landings (Singapore and Melbourne) were so hard, the whole plane shook. No way to treat a piece of kit worth $300m.
In Australia, we are at a disadvantage. We're at the axxe end of the world and it takes a long time to get anywhere. We NEED an airline that can give us decent planes, comfortable seats and decent customer service. All this is reflected in the fares of course but I don't doubt that savings can be made and used to provide an acceptable level of service and comfort on long distance flights.
As for Jetstar well I flew on them once and I am highly unlikely ever to fly with them again. Tiger, well what can you say? I also said after one cattle class flight on Air Asia X to KL, that I would never ever fly on them again. However, I was persuaded by a friend to try the premium seat from KL to London. Yes, it is a very basic no frills flight, but the extra leg room and bed seat made a hell of a difference. So, I believe providing a level of comfort at an acceptable price is doable.
Qantas is at a crossroads now. Sadly, I think it is going to take the wrong turn.
My sixpenneth worth anyway. Feel free to disagree.
:mrgreen:
