The real test will come as Qantas fights over the coming months to keep its stranglehold on the Federal Government's $500 million annual travel budget - the biggest single account in Australia
Tax payers paying top dollar for politicians that do nothing yet again.
''They are effectively saying to the unions, 'If you guys don't come up with a radical plan to lower unit costs, we will just melt Qantas on the vine and do it all on Jetstar'.
Insiders say one of the key targets for McCarthy will be Qantas mainline's cabin crew - the so-called ''Last of the Mohicans'' who have hung onto their penalty rates and other awards while new recruits have been hired on less lucrative awards.
There are some tough times ahead for the people at QF. You've got to wonder if the luxury of legacy conditions is worth the pain of constant cost cutting and going backwards.
''There is a significant amount of unhappiness out there among staff,'' says the Australian Services Union's assistant national secretary, Linda White.