Originally Posted by
Sunfish
Dean, you can stick your protectionist ideas about QF up your fundament. QF produce a low quality product that does not represent good value. It is a major blight on the Australian tourist industry and export oriented industries because it doesn't foster efficient good value travel anywhere.
I am writing this from the Silver Kris (business class) lounge in Singapore as I wait to board my direct flight to Melbourne. Good value, efficient, friendly, competent service from Singapore Airlines.
To put it another way : "I still call Australia home." Not. Qantas has outsourced everything overseas except the roo on the tail. "Australian icon" that is pure BS these days. It is badly managed and should be allowed to go bankrupt.
Sunfish
Perhaps Qantas would be up to the same standard as others such as SQ and EK if the Australian government enforced anti-dumping laws
You need to really understand what in fact is going on, it's not all about who is cheapest
The likes of EK, SQ, CX and any number of foreign carriers can compete for Australian passengers flying to Europe in 1 of 2 ways
1) Price, this is self explanatory
2) Offering a better product, this may be better leg room or better but less economical aircraft such as the A380 better lounges at airports or better seating for business etc
But all this cost money and has to come from somewhere and when fares are roughly the same, any educated passenger would opt for a SQ or EK A380 service over Qantas
But let me ask
1) If for example EK offers a superior product for the same price as QF supported by low taxes and subsidies, is this fair and a level playing field ?
2) If SQ has a sale from SYD to LHR during a quiet time of the year, is this contravening the anti-dumping laws ?
This question is important as the likes of SQ and the ME3 don't alter timetables often even though there are peeks and troughs in demand when they really should
So they flog of cheap seats to fill their flights from OZ and onward to other destinations, thus protecting their hub and spoke model
It's like Brazil harvesting too many apples, they are not permitted to just dump them cheaply into Australia
The same rule should apply to airlines