The QF fleet is too old, Alan has let that slip during his reign in my view for far too long to make the bottom line look better. And along the same line, the level of cabin quality I'm offered in F and J is outright embarrassing - although I admittedly haven't been on a refurbed A380 yet - but am told F is the same and J is the same as the 787, which is a knee bumping exercise in claustrophobia.
But that could all turn into a blessing in disguise, a dip into the war chest could now provide a fleet renewal that sets QF up for a position to handle non stop ULRs into European destinations and providing a significant edge. Now is the time to negotiate the purchase of the A350s as well as the slots. All can be had at an extra rebate with everyone desperate to make a sale. I hope Alan is just playing the strings of politics with the announcement that sunrise is one ice, to make the upcoming job losses more palatable. It might just be a restructuring in disguise.
I'm sorry to put that so bluntly, I realise several participants here appear to be working for QF. I have for well over a decade brought my money to QF, several $100k all up. As a former airline pilot myself I see below the glitter on the surface and value the safety culture up front (and in the back when they're not too self important about it).
PAX like me are happy to pay a premium to avoid a stopover. But not at the cost of getting dropped off in the slums of Heathrow. And the showers up front in the EK A380s admittedly have been a deciding factor on which outfit I choose (albeit on QF flight numbers, so QF still gets their share). As I like to say to my wife when we're on those flights, at least we'll die in style. And that's all I can say about that.