After attending several of the meetings that have been held in each port for the impulse crew re: the new LCC i can honestly say i am now looking forward to it happening and hoping that we have a chance to win it as all the concerns i have had so far have been given reasonable answers.
just to clear up a few myths that are floating around (and there are ALOT) here are the general points from the staff briefings:
* new LCC will operate TOTALLY seperatly from mainline and QFlink. QFlink services will continue and possibly build with the potential to fill the market with even more dash8 and 146 services. the new airline will compete against QF and QFLink on these routes, not take them over. There will be no jobs lost or made redundant anywhere in the network. The rumor that Impulse crews will be made redundant and rehired under LCC has been declared false, if they win the bid they will remain under the current EBA and remain Impulse Airlines t/as LCC.
* All empolyees will be full time or part time.
* LCC will 'burn not earn' for FFlyers and Oneworld pax. It probably will not be a member of Oneworld.... you can use your FF POints for seats on the LCC but not earn points on it. There will be no more preffered seating for business/corporate/FF travelers. (if there is any organised seating at all... there is a possibility that seats will not be allocated and it will become 'first in first served', a method which although promises an ontime departure mostly every time is a bit more hassle for crews with seating etc).
*LCC will recruit its own ground staff, maintenence and engineering, baggage, marketing, corporate and crew. it will have its own checkin desks and terminal. It will not be possible for a pax to check bags through to Qantas flights. Flights will need to be booked through LCCs own website or call centre.
States are currently bidding to get the LCC to base ops there but bases will not change and crew will not be made to move states within the next 5 years (if it works). Main base is purely for branding, sponsorship of local events/businesses and marketing purposes so that the winning state will have its "own airline" as such. DJ although based in BNE currently do not do this and so therefore do not yet 'own' brisbane in the communities eyes.
* If Impulse win the bid they have assured the crew that they will do everything possible to retain staff travel benefits, as taking it away will only lower company morale and cause unneccessary problems.
* Crew will not 'advertise' sponsors (nor will there be any in the cabin) or wear strange uniforms. this does not reflect crew in the publics eyes as being safety professionals and as being 'serious'.
there will actually be a proper, smart, crew-like uniform.
* If Impulse win the bid the 717s will also be used on the shorter routes of the LCC, along with the new aircraft. 717s will probably be phased out in the next 6 years but definatly no sooner that 3or 4.
* Because its a public company, the media must know about the confirmed details before staff (due to insider trading and because they dont want to relase details to employees before the public and have DJ take the media attention away on the day of the announcement) they said that be aware the public will probably know about whats happening before statements are given to staff. From this week onwards, small titbits will be leaked to the media about the airline to gain public interest but there is definatly no set date for the announcement as they want it to be a suprise.
* the only comment i am making here of my own is that from the way it sounded it will be airbusses. they wouldnt say yes or no. but they way things sounded (and the media leaks) say it will be airbus.