It's simple, since AJ took the controls, the profit has been in continual decline, he is a disaster when it comes to sorting out staff engagement issues because he has none of those skills. He is a poor people manager and that's what airlines are all about.
To be fair, AJ did a reasonable job setting up J* but never had to raise capital as it was handed to him on a plate.
Running an airline is like having a baby: fun to conceive, but hell to deliver.
— C. E. Woolman, principal founder Delta Air Lines
and
If the employees come first, then they are happy. A motivated employee treats the customer well. The customer is happy so they keep coming back, which pleases the shareholders. It's not one of the enduring Green mysteries of all time, it is just the way it works.
— Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines CEO, in Lee, W. G., 'A Conversation with Herb Kelleher,' Organizational Dynamics
, volume 23, issue 2, Autumn 1994.
AJ, the board and their team of
industry misfits have no idea about the above quotes. Q management have lost the plot but Australia's docile media press release copiers (journalists) allow it to happen, sadly, as they really don't understand the business they write about. (with the exception of B.Sandilands)
Qantas has chosen to avoid the competitive task on routes to Asia and beyond to Europe with modern efficient wide-bodied jets, and done nothing but whinge about losing market share when it fact is hasn’t offered to fly the new growth routes so ably addressed by Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines among others.
Qantas hasn’t had market stolen from it, rather than having given it up and away.
Jetstar type low cost franchises do make a lot of sense as an investment, yet they are not an alternative to keeping or winning the full service market in either Australia or on its longer haul markets. They create new demand, and grow aviation jobs. But they are no reason to abandon quality, especially where the opportunity resides in reputation and service delivery, rather than in the fare price. Ben Sandilands 11.10.11
This is the real message that is not getting through.. then this today
There is a hint of hysteria creeping into the Qantas union disputes today, and maybe it’s time for cold showers all around.
The shrillness set in when licensed engineer’s union Federal Secretary Steve Purvinas kicked an own goal by reportedly urging people to avoid making Christmas holiday bookings on Qantas.
If we are talking domestic holidays that is like saying load up the family car and drive to the Gold Coast (and risk dying on the roads) or take the ferry to Tasmania, which isn’t such a bad idea at all.
The fact is that it is Qantas/Jetstar or the highway, because Virgin Australia has no ambitions nor capacity to suddenly put on more or larger jets, and its load factors are already exceptionally high.
And Tiger is still in a period of self enforced irrelevancy, running a token schedule at token fares where it is possible they are continuing to lose money.
But if we are talking international holidays Qantas is already regarded as useless by most passengers, as it has dealt itself out of contention, and continues to make desperate attempts at rewriting history by claiming this is all the result of wicked government owned predators who have so unfairly invested in better newer jets, and then decided to fly them half a day faster to dozens of cities in Europe that Qantas couldn’t find on an atlas while standing up in a phone booth. Ben Sandilands 12.10.11.
It's become extremely messy and I feel the pilots have been short changed as they have not disrupted anything much other than make PA announcements (which in my view were working) and wear red ties. All this good work has now become entangled in other unions actions and has been tarred with the same brush. I think it is time for those cold showers..
Having said that, the lies coming from the management mouths over the past few months and we all have had to endure them over and over again, sooner or later someone was bound to "kick an own goal" out of shear frustration. Overall, SP has done a great job, he has proved he has his members interests at heart..
PPrune is the converted. It doesn't need more preachers.
If you want coverage: occupy the AGM! Many of you are shareholders after all. You may not have the voting rights, but you can get the board and the CEO on camera under pressure and failing to answer questions.
Yep, that's where its at now folks!