T-Vasis:
Aircraft-even the B777LR can do Perth-Europe WITHOUT restrictions. It already can do Dallas-Adelaide WITHOUT restrictions and it is an old technology aircraft!
Jetstar would never have survived without the mother ship and the Asian franchises are NOT profitable! Remember Orangestar? The holding company of Jetstar Asia went broke in 2011 because "it could not meet it's obligations"(not my words), in other words Qantas had to buy it out and create Newstar with QF money and write off it's debt. $63 million worth of "goodwill". Air New Zealand is PROFITABLE (sustainably so and not because of write downs). Geoff Dixon and James Strong failed to understand that airlines need a network and he proceeded to shut it down and buy the wrong aircraft. 57% came from Qantas' own research in 2009(i was there) yet they went ahead with shutting down European services through Asia. Air New Zealand and Cathay recognise that in long-haul flying the Front pays for the Back! Look at the most expensive fares across the Tasmen, invariably they are ANZ and guess what they have some of the cheapest, that is why they shut down Freedom. The Australian Government has a lot to answer for, This is something that we can agree on. In the real business world the negotiators responsible for giving away our bilaterals without something in return shows a level of naivety common in Australia. As a US Senator said to me "What is wrong with your Politicians in Australia, Don't any of them have children?"