Hi Pedota
Firstly,I guess your comments around full fare paying customers 'valuing spare seats next to them' is correct,however they have only paid for one seat,and any customer who is disapointed that the seat next to them is occupied (whether it be by a staff traveller or anyone else) is out of touch with their expectations of exactly what they have paid for.Unless the flight is full,any customer can pay for a spare seat next to them if that is what they would like to expect.And that's not being rude,it's just reality.
Secondly,full fare customers do not in any way subsidise staff travellers,the staff traveller is indeed paying to sit in an empty seat,and if that seat is not empty they simply do not get on.Staff also have to pay to have an upgradeable ticket,and cannot get upgraded unless they pay the additional fare.Also you have to do 7 years service with QF to be able to pay for the upgrade and only pilots and executive managment can pay for a first class upgrade (i think,i know I certainly cant!).
Thirdly,from a business point of view I would suggest that having loyal staff (through incentives such as decent staff travel schemes) in turn increases the satisfaction (and loyalty) of customers.If I owned a business which was in the service industry,I would want my staff as happy and engaged as practical (within reason),as I know this has a positive flow on effect to the service levels the customers receive.Just as having disengaged staff has a negative effect on the service levels customers receive.Although yes QF staff do get cheaper airfares for empty seats I think the original message here was that as some other airlines staff appear to get a 'better' staff travel system and the employee engagement could be increased at QF by matching what their industry peers receive,at minimal cost to the business.
Finally,also from a business point of view upgrading 'Aunt Doris on her way to see the homeland before she drops of the rock' ahead of staff would
a) not have any economic impact to the business and
b) create a possibly undeliverable expectation for next time Aunt Doris (or those she has spoken to) flies
c) would negate the above positive impact for staff engagement in point 3.
Upgrading commercially important customers such as top level frequent flyers can have a positive impact to the business which is why QF already does this on a regular basis.
It is a small industry,and having friends who work for other airlines I see that at QF the staff travel system does not seem as good as some of my friends get.
We are constantly told through memos that QF wants to be the worlds best airline.Why not have the worlds best staff travel service to go with it?
It would do wonders for staff engagement,which is badly needed at the moment.
