we did tell you guys about mr stoodart!!!! doesnt surprise me at all, he well deserve it after all he did over here in england, sorry about the crew overthere, but not simpathy for another stoodart robery.
Last Update: Monday, March 13, 2006. 12:27pm (AEDT)
OzJet ... 50 to 60 workers will lose their jobs. (Inside Business)
OzJet's failure 'not surprising'
A travel management company says OzJet was never a viable option for travellers and it is not at all surprised the specialist airline has failed after only four months.
At least 50 people will lose their jobs after the business class airline grounded its fleet overnight, because of poor ticket sales.
The managing director of Corporate Travel Management, Jamie Pherous, says OzJet's travel schedule was not flexible enough.
"OzJet doing once or twice a day just obviously doesn't give enough flexibility because things happen," he said.
"Meetings change, meetings finish earlier or later, and the advantage of say, Qantas in the afternoon where flights go every half hour, you can easily move.
"Whereas OzJet - if you miss your flight you miss your flight, it's just not viable for travellers."
OzJet chairman Paul Stoddart has told the ABC's AM program he misjudged the market.
"It's very sad, very sad for our staff who've put in so much effort and for the passengers that were travelling with us, but sadly there wasn't enough of them," he said.
"We've given it four months and we said we'd give it six months.
"Clearly, we can see the forward bookings and the trend that traditionally comes after the Australia Day holiday when business goes back to work - it just hasn't happened for us."
The airline will continue as a charter service, but Mr Pherous says that may not save the business.
"I think once bitten, twice shy," he said.
"But there's clearly a demand in this country for chartering flights, but then again it's very hard to charter a flight every day isn't it?
"I mean to charter a 100-seat flight every day for somebody, I'm a bit unsure of their future."
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OzJet experiment fails
Australia's newest domestic airline has suspended its flights.
The budget airline OzJet offered a business class service between Sydney and Melbourne when it began four months ago.
The company has been losing money ever since, and now 50 to 60 workers will lose their jobs.
OzJet chairman Paul Stoddart has told the ABC's AM program he misjudged the market.
"It's very sad, very sad for our staff who've put in so much effort and for the passengers that were travelling with us, but sadly there wasn't enough of them," he said.
"We've given it four months and we said we'd give it six months.
"Clearly, we can see the forward bookings and the trend that traditionally comes after the Australia Day holiday when business goes back to work - it just hasn't happened for us.
"We thought we had a different plan but unfortunately it didn't translate into that all important 'bums on seats'," he said.
"As for staff, well to lose one member of staff is one too many, but we're probably going to have to lose 50 or 60, which is really, really sad."
But Mr Stoddart says some staff will be kept on so the airline can provide charter flights.
Qantas spokesman Rob Guerney says Qantas will take care of passengers affected by the cancellation of flights.
"For OzJet passengers that have already started their journey and are stranded up until and including the 24th of March, Qantas will carry those passengers free of charge if they've already commenced their journey, if they let us know by this Friday the 17th of March," he said.
"We'll make an arrangement to book them on Qantas flights free of charge."