We legacy folk have long suspected JQ's financial viability once the crutch was kicked from under their arms. We seem to be on the eve of that event. Other carriers have abandonded their LCC projects once it became obvious they canabalised the main business.
Now that DJ is gong mainstream there is less rationale for JQ in its present scope. Certainly long haul/widebody LCC seems to be a dud model everywhere its tried. Absent the silent subsidies from QF LH it might be sooner than later that JQ contracts its LH operations. There will always be a strong Bali/Phuket/Boganville (spelling intentional) market, but that's about it.
I imagine that PHNL will become a daily QF operation soon...its a natural EK codeshare extension. As is SFO, but that is clearly too much to hope for.
As far as JH being surprised at the offer of the JQ CEO role: when I was an enforcer for the mob in Cleveland we had a saying...if you don't know who's the patsy in the room, it's you.
Vinnie