What I said may have been harsh, a little over the top but........
If the Kiwi pilots, FA's, ground crew etc worked for exactly the same pay and conditions as their Australian counterparts then all things considered the "cost" structure would be identical. Landing fees would be the same, aircraft leasing and operation the same, fuel, the list goes on and on. The only difference is crewing costs.
Both companies are going to take advantage of the fact that it is simply cheaper labour and use it against their own work force. For Dixon and Godfrey it comes down to the bottom dollar, the more money that they "save" the bigger the bonuses, they couldn't care less about their current employees.
I am all for both companies having a "regional NZ" operation, employing locals to operate within NZ, but to be able to operate Australian domestic as well really stinks. A friend showed me a copy of the "email" what a joke. BG tries to justify the NZ operation because Qantas is doing this and Qantas is doing that and that
Vb's current "cost" structure (ie already lower wages etc.) can't even compete........ therefore they need to lower the cost by employing NZ crews on lower wages. Both GM's realised that they simply could not directly reduce wages or take on a large number of unions(Qantas), so they side stepped it altogether and started a new company, completely legal yes, immoral you bet. The sad fact remains that this practice is happening all over the world.
Not many Kiwi (or Australian pilots, FA's etc) are going to say thanks but no thanks to a job, unfotunately both Gm's realise this and are going to use it to their full advantage, especially with the Trans Tasman recognition of rules and regulations etc. I wonder how much the Minister for Transport (Anderson) had to do with all this?
