"bet on the horse, not on the rider".
This is very true. At Qantas I believe the problem to begin with the world view held by Leigh Clifford. I have mentioned on other forums that I have CEO level connections who have been present at corporate functions, he has neither vision, nor leadership, unless of course you consider moving forward to be driving flat out with your view firmly focused on the rear vision mirror. (Apologies to Paul Keating) The problem with corporate structures is as a business matures, an overly complex internal structure. A bit like a computer it fills with junk, like HR, IR and all these other
cost centres. So much so that businesses actually forget what it is they are supposed to do. The inefficiency that these cost centres focus on is ALWAYS elsewhere. Usually operational areas. Front line bank employees, service technicians. Outsource to contractors and automation. In airlines this is seen as get the customer to self check in, self tag their bag etc. Not always bad decisions but increasingly there are two parts of the business: 1. Operational 2. Administrative. One cuts the other, growing in importance.
Most airline 'administration/management' hierarchy can be bolted on in a telecommunications, manufacturing or banking 'management' and their day to day function changes little. This is why airline employees need a bigger bucket for BS than $$. As I regularly consult with many different organisations i can attest to operational employees at most organisations needing similar buckets. There is a fundamental disconnect. High level discussions believe it is part education (Generic MBA) and interestingly the modern paradigm of infinite growth from a finite business; things get whackier and whackier in search of the perpetual growth. It was not always like that.
Many modern airlines are indeed horses, not really in tune with what it is they actually do...
Airlines need pilots, they need cabin crew and they need good engineering.
Whether they voluntarily rescind their adversarial HR/IR posture, reducing the influence (cost) or the market does it for them, this horse may in its current form need to go to the glue factory...