But you haven’t given a single reason why QF would want to sell it.
QF won’t want to sell JQ, it gives them a bigger market share, enables them to run routes which mainline can’t make a profit on and enables them to undermine the competition on price whilst they maintain fare levels, it’s brilliant. Whilst the actual numbers might show a loss, the overall contribution to the big picture is huge. Full service airlines running low cost subsidiaries doesn’t usually work too well but it certainly has here.
If Virgin go under, maintaining air services will be the priority rather than competition and having QF/JQ as the only airline might be acceptable for a couple of years but ultimately there will have to be an independent alternative or the government may require JQ to be sold off.
A QF monopoly may be acceptable with price controls and full regulation regarding routes and schedules but that’s the last thing they want. There needs to be an Australian version of Southwest Air or easyJet rather than another full service airline trying to go head on at QF. There is an acceptable degree of competition and both companies can make money.