Sunfish....very well written. Will print off that post and put in on my office wall.
As I read it my mind flashed back to people I knew in the old TAA Engineering Training School and Technical Services Department and that lost world.
I met Ron Yates (if anyone has to ask, don't, just look around at the good that's left in Qantas and you'll see) at Farnborough couple of years back and we talked at length of these things, he with even more sadness than me I guess as his life's blood was embedded in the quality being eroded. Couple of days back spoke to Frank Ball's widow and again, sadness.
And don't anyone think that in this misty hindsight there's any form of regret at growth and vibrance and low fares. The massive growth in air travel is what these folks built....even if they couldn't have foreseen the staggering growth ahead....TAA was first to bring Economy fares, business class, turbine powered travel, APEX fares etc etc. Qantas were innovators with 707 and 747 all the way and opened up the world to Australia's travellers. There is no necessary incompatibility between growth, innovation, technical excellence, and aggressive cost management. That is a myth, propagated by mean spirited ideologues who so much want it to be true that it haunts them. But it simply ain't so. You can have legacy and LCC's and excellence as well.
And the baton has been passed, make no mistake. There are a number of carriers in Asia whose growth is double digit and whose maintenance and engineering standards and capabilities are simply awesome. They know that excellence in this area PAYS FOR ITSELF.
Well written Sunfish....hope others print your post and read it often.