Red T Bar,
That is simply incorrect.
Refer to the cost pie chart in the latest data book from Qantas available on
Australian Securities Exchange - Stock Market Information, Stock Quotes - ASX and use QAN for the ASX code.
Wages as you refer are not isolated Crew costs(tech and cabin) which I am referring to.
Wages include staff across the whole group from executive level down to the lowest paid staff member.
To suggest that Flight crew costs are the second largest is rubbish.
On the A380 fleet with the increased cabin crew numbers(20-22 cabin crew) crew costs may in fact be slightly bigger as a percentage and hence why QCCA crew operate in these larger numbers.I am not suggesting that I'm pleased that staff
are paid lower than their Qantas equivalents.
The point is simple and sadly you have missed it.
If Qantas mainline were to operate new aircraft that were more suited to the routes flown and were more fuel efficient to operate and more efficient to maintain and service then this would make a greater difference than what cabin or tech crew are paid.
This is why Jetstar are only flying new aircraft that are bought and leased cheaply off the back of the Qantas group.