Originally Posted by
Australopithecus
Frequent flyer is the tail that wags the dog. Qantas has an international fleet size smaller than a traditional airline would have because its primary purpose is to make FF points appear valuable.
AP (et al) - And that, I believe, is the big reason for the exemplary lounges. QF.com sells tickets on airlinesX but only has to have a very cheap (in comparison) room at either end to create the illusion of quality and value for money. Why buy and run a 787 (when we missed the boat on the tripler) when you can round up a few 'blockheads' (Aust TV show) and knock up a cheap reno in an airport space - chuck in an aging pony tailed chef that your grandparents remember and boy does that make a difference to operating costs....