Regarding BKK-LHR & HKG-LHR.
I thought that QF & BA were in some type of joint services agreement between Australia & the UK. Effectively revenue sharing between services.
I would have thought replacing QF with BA between Asia & the UK would have increased the labour cost base?
If the justification for the switch was a more economical 777 as opposed to the 744. Assuming Australian labour is cheaper than that of the UK, wouldn't it have been more economical for BA to dry lease 777's to QF.
Net result. Reduced costs & an increase in the "joint revenue".
My opinion is Joyce went for the short term gain of leasing the landing spots in LHR for the financial gain.