Good find RMM, maybe Geoffrey Thomas can throw some more
light on this for us.
Airbus set to scoop Qantas order for low-fare lift
Dateline: Wednesday November 05, 2003
Qantas appears to have selected the A320/A321 family for its new low-cost airline, dubbed Skimpy internally.
In a tight delivery program, the airline wants to take up to 20 aircraft by mid-2004. While the type will be new to Qantas Group, the low-cost unit will subcontract many of its functions.
ANZ has just taken delivery of the first of 15 A320s and has lower labor costs than Qantas. The New Zealand carrier already is performing maintenance and refit for Qantas on its 747s. There is also a pool of A320 pilots still unemployed after the collapse of Ansett, while others who have secured employment offshore would like to return to Australia.
Qantas is keen to have a point of difference to low-cost rival Virgin Blue, which operates the 737-800, as Boeing cannot deliver its proposed 737-900X, which has economics closer to the A321, until late 2005.
Qantas officials said the bidding process is not finished and a decision will not be announced until late next week. But insiders tell ATWOnline that Boeing will have to perform magic to rescue the order as "the Airbus deal is outstanding."--Geoffrey Thomas
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