Jetconnect ZK aircraft to now be VH registered
A recent email today being sent to all employees at the QF subsidiary Jetconnect regarding the change over of all ZK registered aircraft to QF mainline Australian VH registered. This also includes the JC Long Haul cabin crew who will cease operating on B737 fleet. Where will this go from here, I'm not sure, however will Jetconnect slowly reduce in size to then be picked up by QF mainline but with an Auckland and Wellington Base? Jetconnect pilots operating Australian domestic sectors??
If there is any insight as to how Jetconnect can exist when the crew are operating VH tails under Australian QF AOC yet on different contracts with a different company? It happens with Cobham and Network here in Australia however they are different AOC's. I'm unsure how the Australian Pilots union will allow this to happen?
Extract from John Gissing's email:
Last month we announced that Emirates was withdrawing a large part of its Trans-Tasman flying and that Qantas would respond with additional A330 services. We’ve been working with Jetconnect, to manage the subsequent capacity and schedule changes. Today Qantas has advised Jetconnect of our preferred option to transition the seven New Zealand registered 737s onto the Qantas Air Operators Certificate (AOC). The proposal would see Jetconnect Flight and Cabin Crew continue to operate on the Tasman as they do today, however, flying the VH tail. This would allow us to improve the overall 737 fleet’s utilisation and efficiency. Consultation with Jetconnect’s affected employees has begun today and we will continue to keep you updated.
The 737s freed up by the above would enable more flying to new and existing destinations. Details are being confirmed but we’ll keep you informed over the coming weeks.