Hi there
This from todays
Australian
Dicko rues a Virgin
AS Chris Corrigan and Sir Richard gear up to float Virgin Blue, Geoff Dixon over at Qantas is not sitting by idly, waiting to get his butt kicked.
Qantas has already conceded 30 per cent of the domestic aviation market to Virgin and is expediting the launch of its new, as yet unnamed, discount airline.
The name "Skimpy" has been mentioned in unofficial circles. We prefer Mangy Young Roo, an appellation which would deliver on the
PR push that Qantas, and its offspring, might not survive.
It is probably a fair call to say that Dicko would like to do away with Qantas's domestic altogether.
Labour costs are the critical factor. A Virgin Blue captain takes home $160,000, versus $220,000 for a Qantas captain. Impulse pilots were on just $122,000.
A Virgin hostie gets $36,000, whereas Qantas hosties take $65,000. Dicko could save $75 million a year just on hosties if he could match Virgin. And that's before work practice matters. The Virgin hosties have to clean the plane.
DJ737
The Roo Rooter
