I am not a JQ pilot and am certainly not a hero, whatever particular meaning attaches to that word. I certainly did not say that JQ subsidized Mainline....simply that "It would be way more enlightening to see how the legacy airline fared without Jetstar..."
The argument that Qantas mainline could survive at Jetstar yields in the discretionary market segments is probably untenable. Hence the Economies of Scope theme..(and the Wikipeadia article is a start Johnny , you should re-read it carefully) .....that (and this is putting part of the concept very simply) if you are already running one airline you can run another airline more efficiently than would two completely separate entities. The allocation of fixed costs and transfer pricing intra-group is a matter which always attracts great debate and is not possible, as with all such arbitrary matter to be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
I take no joy in the atrocious relationships between pilot unions and pilot groups. It was not always thus and need not be. But I'd suggest that there is one group with the industrial power to change it all and they have not done so and are most unlikely to do so.
Until then, as I have once again been thoroughly beaten by superior wit, knowledge and skill I will retire back into the cave. Cautioning you only to to be wary of what you wish for.....the Qantas Group without Jetstar might not be a very pretty place to work, indeed for many currently working, there may be no jobs at all.
And OBNO.....what is that short for?.....I do not mean to be patronizing. But am still a little ruffled by the AIPA monkeys and peanuts campaign that has never been withdrawn. Maybe I'm too think-skinned and over-reactive.