bugsmashing, I appreciate your honesty and perspective on the current situation.
You have essentially confirmed my beliefs on the question of 'Why do people fly QF'. Oneworld may not be of much importance to the Australian Domestic market (well obviously anyway!), but the number of pax that can book a 'through' flight from one carrier, say British, and use the Oneworld network to get from Heathrow to Roma definately increases the pax loads for QF.
Look around at the post 9/11 aviation industry. Look at the Industrial reform being spearheaded by the Australian government. Look at the added competition in the region and how much is subsidised by THEIR governments (ie. Singapore, Malaysian etc).
Whether we like it or not facts are facts. We either deal with it, or we sink. Who's in for the long term? From a management perspective, who cares? Slash and burn is the flavour of the month. As engineers how much can we change QF corporate attitude.....very little if any I would say. So we deal with it. How we deal with it will define the future we have in this industry and the part we play.
Survival of the fittest. Level heads must prevail. Emotion must be removed from the equation, and we must move on in partnership with the company that pays our wages. Once again, I ask only that you consider the facts I place before you.