RD: I have to take issue with this statement of yours as according to correspondence today it is factually incorrect.
Even the bought and paid for ratings agencies acknowledge what this thread highlighted well before their analysts looked through the spin: Qantas fleet metrics are horrible.
S&P Global ratings is no longer including Qantas at Qantas’ request. So at least as far as S&P’s ratings are concerned, they are certainly no longer bought and paid for. Although, with both those 787’s to pay for as well as Napoleon’s salary, perhaps the issue was in the paying??