OK let's bring this to the top again:
International will need X amount of internationally experienced crews to get up and running, depending on who you talk to the Pornstar International experience of offering f**k all in T&C was a roaring success or a dismal failure, they got what they wanted at the price they wanted or they get what they wanted but the price ended up a hell of a lot more (creative accounting and lies will fix that, no prob's!!)
Fair to say I believe the latter.
An established airline sits it's nose on a runway may, in the short term, get away with it - V intl wont!
Why in the hell wouldn't you take a contrary tack - advertise at $250-300,000 PA for experienced T&C to get the op up and running on 2/3 year contract, non renewable, end up having 100?? (pick your own figures at those sort of prices) applicants for 20?? key positions, pick and choose who will best serve you and then trumpet how your "committment to safety, a safe environment, safety, safety, experience, experience blah blah" is different to Pornstar Intl (if anyone asks.)
The cost all comes off the taX anyway so - why woulndn't you do it for the sheer pleasure of having more qualified applicants than positions to chose from (luxuuurrryyy!) and the positive advertising spin of experience, safety etc??
Don't even get me started about the domestic side - any screw ups there with 73's or JJ can (like doctors) be buried quietly, maybe with the implicicit compliance of the regulator(s) - for the benefit of all (except the dead but they really don't count as they're............
)
You screw up on USA runs and the only ones doing the burying will be the FAA etc - and when they get tired suspect QF would be more than happy to man the shovels.
So why wouldn't you spend the money to try to ensure the success of your most visible expansion??
If you get it wrong you are very,very potentially Ansett.
Just a thought.