Joyce and Co are doing the usual, using speech such as ‘minor crack’, ‘hairline crack’ etc, not telling the public how hairline cracks can turn into major cracks and even Hull losses. Although unrelated to an extent, research American Airlines Flight 191 and Aloha Airlines Flight 243. Both accidents started with ‘hairline cracks’. Yes - different accidents and a different root cause for how and why the cracks occurred, but it still started with a crack.
Purvinas isn’t in the business of ‘selling seats’ and spinning stories. His business is aircraft engineering and maintenance. I would listen to him over the spin doctors at QF any day. The outcome of this will be fine - inspections and audits completed, remedies out in place, parts replaced/repaired, everyone soldiers on. But a reasonable person could question whether an ageing fleet is part of a broader problem. And there is no doubt in my mind that Joyce is keeping the Rat’s head treading just above water. He will retire, fly off into the sunset with his husband and leave behind an airline which looks great on paper but below the surface is a financial disaster just waiting to happen.