Originally Posted by
Beer Baron
Ok Beaver, given you’re such a deep thinker, perhaps you can answer me this.
Given Qantas are apparently basing billion dollar capital investment decisions on whether their pilots are disgruntled or not, then why not give them the one thing that they require to keep them happy but will not cost Qantas one cent?
For instance, what’s wrong with giving an assurance about limiting the expansion of Jet Connect beyond the Tasman?
They state over and over that there are absolutely no plans for them to do any other flying and we have nothing to worry about. So why not put it in writing?
“Because we need flexibility” they say. Well the only constraint on their “flexibility” is that they couldn’t have Jet Connect fly beyond the Tasman. But they state that will NEVER happen and we are irrational to even worry about such things. So it's a bit of a circular argument.
The reality is, the only reason not to make such an assurance is because you want the ability to use one entity to undercut the other one some time down the track. This is why Qantas pilots should be very, very worried and “moving on from this” would be a bad career move.
Well said Beer Baron.
They created this problem. It is up for them to fix it if they do not want to continue up the path they are pushing us.
Otherwise we are just waiting to hear some time down the track. “Due to the competitive nature of the Tasman (/insert route here) we now need to base x amount of A330s (/insert aircraft here) in Auckland (or whatever city) and as we are competing with other NZ (/insert country of choice) operators we require the pilots to be on Jetconnect (/insert sham company name here) terms and conditions but we are leaving the aircraft VH (Australian registered just like we do with our 737s)...oh and these pilots will continue on through the main capital cities to other destinations with those aircraft as this has been a huge success with our Jetconnect cabin crew.
This needs to be addressed and fast. And if we don’t get the protections and nothing can be done and it is the future I would rather know now so I can plan my career accordingly.
Funnily I do listen to and hear what the current Qantas (not group but Qf) management are saying and it makes sense how current redesignation to VH and networks 320s came about and I take them at their word as to how and why it has happened. The problem is no matter how loyal or trustworthy their intentions are they can/may leave/change their positions at any time and the replacement can change their mind at a whim and once the precedent of operating vh registered aircraft with overseas crews is ‘accepted’ it will be even harder to argue against.