What an opportunity has been lost to have a sensible discussion and to bring some facts out into the open. Let's be honest, most of the responses, putting the invective aside, imply that the writers protesteth just a little too much. Has a raw nerve been hit?
No Three Bars and Jake whateveryou're called, I am not consumed by envy or any other of the perjoratives you'd like to sling at me. BTW, what on earth has a Bank Holiday got to do with this topic? Now, as a matter of fact, I was one of your number until I moved on to another calling. I am however concerned that a proud and mighty airline will be torn apart because of the intransigence of particular groups of people who refuse to move on and join the modern world.
The reason why Qantas has set up and expanded Australian Airlines and expanded QantasLink, and putting Jet Connect on the Tasman is very simple: costs are too high and productivtiy too low because of out-dated work rules. You can't get away from the indisputable facts. A group of Australian pilots shot themselves in both feet brilliantly some 14 years ago, and the way things are going another group will be doing the same in the not too distant future. There are many ways to skin a cat as we all know. Likewise, there are many ways to skin a union without having a brawl.
GT_R and VB_Capt are spot on. Why can't a 767 driver operate to the same rules as a 737 driver? Simple, the parties can't agree. Could the lack of agreement be because AIPA would be wanting more than its pound of flesh for such a "concession"? But let's compare like with like. How many pilots do Singapore Airlines schedule for example between Sydney and Singapore? Qantas uses three. There are quite a few that use two without any reduction of safety standards. How may drivers are used by Cathay between Sydney and HK? Qantas uses three, what about Cathay? This is what productiviuty is all about. How many other companies pay the premiums that the Qantas longhaul pilots enjoy? Why do Qantas Captains get paid double the travelling allowance than do other crew members? This is another example of a high cost that affects productivity. The amount may is not at all big but when all of these little numbers are added up, the sum becomes quite significant.
Can we please have some open robust discussion without getting personal? Being snippy only demeans the writers. It reflects poorly on professionals. What some of you don't understand is that the comments are not made against you as individuals. Like all groups of people, individual pilots are mostly hard working and honest, just like all other groups of citizens of the world. In other words, don't take things personally. We all love the industry, else we wouldn't be in it, but this should not discourage or stifle open debate without the fear of being savaged by some apparently unhappy people just because one holds an opposing view.
Lastly, be assured that this is no "wind up".
