So true unfortunately about Qantas service. There are always exceptions of course but the general rule was that Ansett was all over Qf in service and approachability of staff. (Of course there were always the petty tyrants at the Ansett waitlist counter!!)
But it's important to remember that there isn't always a satisfying reason or justification for things that happen. Good people have bad things happen to them, once great companies can find themselves in unrecoverable situations. It is a tragedy to all concerned when it happens, but management is just one component( a big one , but just one).
In this brave new world of aviation, the airlines on the ascendant have very low cost structures due to their demographic and economic base. Work practices are less rigid, and of course wages and conditions are commensurate with that. As global citizens, we are loyal to the dollar and not so much to the carrier. We use search engines to locate the flights to and from our destination, and usually choose what we see as the best value for our money. I have to say this is rarely Qantas in my experience, but if it were remotely close I would still choose Qantas, I just haven't been able to justify that over the last few years.
The product provided is not differentiated enough from others to warrant the higher cost base. As difficult as it is to accept, wages are way too high ( about 30% too high) to enable Qantas to be a significant competitor. They have given away their advantage of destination variety to a LCC that only some wish to subject themselves to over a long flight, and now it is easier and cheaper to travel with one of the many other airlines who can get you there faster and/or cheaper.
Other airlines coming into the country have strangled the only other advantage they had. The Government must take some responsibility for that, but then again , they have ensured competitively low fares and more are able to travel than ever before.
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Sure, sack the board, put in others who know a bit more about what this business essentially is and what it needs to do, but everyone also needs to accept that the new management would still be faced with the same problems. Whatever decisions have been made in the past and the consequences of them, however true and justified the vocal recriminations, nothing can change the past. Look at what you have to work with and come to terms with what the new reality is.
Looking back constantly with regret, prevents anyone from looking forward to a solution and seeing that solution clearly.
Just my thoughts based on past personal experiences.
