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I would suggest not only is it highly desirable to have “a well trained, rested, well paid Qantas jock up front – Not a kid who’s overtired, undertrained, and under servitude to an airline”, its absolutely essential. Anybody care to be operated on by the cheapest surgeon money can buy?
In the overall breakdown of airline costs, having well trained, experienced and accordingly, well remunerated professionals in the Cockpit does not add significant burden to the bottom line. Joyce’s ‘vision’ to employ poorly remunerated (and hence bottom of the barrel standards-wise) pilots (compared to world standards) working under the most onerous conditions will most probably result in a very negative impact to the bottom line – ie hull loss (with associated loss of life and complete destruction of Qantas’ reputation, something Joyce seems hell bent on pursuing).
I watched the entire Press Club presentation by Joyce and cannot agree that his speech and sentiments were “excellent” – quite the opposite really on all but a few points.
His proclamations about the resounding success of Jetstar in Asia (hence giving credence to his poorly concealed intention to go-ahead with the new full service entity) ignores the fact that Jetstar Asia has lost over half a Billion dollars since inception and Jetstar Pacific is an absolute basket case. It would also be very difficult to believe that Jetstar International has had a particularly good year considering events in Japan and NZ. The subsidisation of Jetstar in general is common knowledge (and obviously that has to come off some part of the business’ bottom line).
Has Joyce’s management team demonstrated any capability to ‘pull off’ this new full service carrier in someone else’s backyard? The last two experts he sent to Vietnam ended up under house arrest for the best part of 6 months (and the airline is still a mess). He continually harped on about the demise of Ansett yet most of his executive team were part of the Ansett executive when it failed. Hardly a rock solid pedigree.
A positive note was Qantas’ proactive approach to pursuing the facts regarding the threat posed by the volcanic ash cloud (by engaging specialists and specialist equipment). Its a pity he doesn’t take this approach to the rest of the business (ie deal in fact, not rubbery figures and rubbery logic to engineer a Human Resources outcome).
Finally, I thought his statement about driving to Canberra vice displacing a customer was craven rather than noble. Here was a perfect opportunity for Joyce to take a jumpseat in the cockpit and actually talk to his staff (particulalrly his pilots) and get some feedback from the ‘horse’s mouth’. Instead, at great expense to the company (considering how much this guy is paid per minute) he took the chauffeur driven limousine to avoid contact with his own staff.
Cowardly if you ask me.
