Happy Birthday Australian Airlines

[request deferred]

Australian Airlines turned one year old yesterday and no one seems to give a hoot, well no one except me! Happy Birthday boys and girls of the Ochre Comet........

Funny that nothing was posted on the AO or QF websites, anything happen in Cairns?

[apacau]

No $1 fares. And it's supposed to QF's LOW-COST international airline :p

I note that you can now book AO fares online (through the QF booking engine) and that they will announce 2 more destinations in the next year.

[request deferred]

AO is a low cost airline, low cost to QF but full price to the customer. I would only believe half of what comes out of Geoff Dixon's mouth, remember these sweeping statements:

AO will not source the B767 from QF.....NOT TRUE,they did

AO will not take over existing QF routes...NOT TRUE , the only new route they have started is Kota Kinabalu, all the rest taken from QF.

[The_Cutest_of_Borg]

To be fair to Geoff, I don't actually think he said that they would not take over QF routes, just that they would not compete side by side on QF routes.

A subtle difference when all you have to do is remove the QF flight from the route to fulfil the promise..

[Wirraway]

AsiaPulse

Tuesday October 28, 11:12 AM AEST
Australian Airlines CEO Laments Poor First Year

SYDNEY, Oct 28 Asia Pulse - Australian Airlines chief executive Andrea Staines admits the past year has not been an ideal one to launch a leisure-based carrier in the Asia Pacific region.

But as the low-cost Qantas international subsidiary celebrated its first birthday Monday, Ms Staines, newly appointed to the CEO post, said things were back on track.

"As you can imagine, it was probably the worst year in aviation history to start an airline," Ms Staines told AAP Monday.

"But on the upside, we've learnt a lot and already the passenger levels have mostly returned post-SARS. We're back making money and budgeting to make a profit this year."

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) decimated the airline industry early in 2003, with Qantas reporting in May that all international routes had been affected.

In particular, the effects of the epidemic hit Asia and Europe, with Qantas bookings to Hong Kong down 64 per cent and to Japan down 30 per cent.

Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said in August that Australian Airlines would return to profitability by September, after losing about A$15 million (US$10.55 million) since beginning flights in March.

"Australian's timing was just impeccable," Mr Dixon said at the time.

"I mean we started an airline on leisure routes about the day the SARS pandemic started. Obviously it got knocked around."

But Ms Staines said Monday the airline was profitable once again and was looking to move operations into China and India, in particular Shanghai and Mumbai.

The airline today announced the inclusion of a fifth Boeing 767-300 aircraft from October and plans for a sixth in about a year's time.

Australian will incorporate an extra weekly service to Bali and the Malaysian destination Sabah, and will soon be operating 50 flights each week.

ASIA PULSE

==========================================

[hoodooguru]

LOW COST!!! Rippoff Airlines is a better name for them. You pay full fare, no in flight service, no entertainment unless you're a geraffe. Terrible paint scheme, why do Qantas have to keep painting everything like they care two hoots about indigineous Australia. The pilot's are dressed like cabbies and the flight attendants look like car park attendants. Flew on them once and never again. Great seat pitch if you're Mini Me. The only budget side of the operation is the staff saleries. Unfortunately this is indicative of the standard in Australian airline operations at the moment. A total con. What the hell has happened to Qantas. It now appears to comprise of 6 or 7 seperate airlines, 6 pay scales, an absolute nightmare of a mixed fleet etc etc. What a screw up. If they survive I'll be amazed.

[Cap10 Caveman]

Hoodooguru,

I love your positive outlook. First you voice your desire for AirNZ to go bust and now you insinuate that Qantas are doomed. Somebody must have screwed you over pretty badly for you to hate these two, or you're just a class-a w@nker.

[topdrop]

Request Deferred,
They had a barbie, but I was rostered for duty.
Alan

[missleadfoot]

Dear Hoodooguru,

Thankyou for your comments regarding your flight with Australian Airlines and I hope you have addressed your complaints to the relevant people at AO instead of just getting something off your chest here. I have been in the industry a long time with several airlines and understand customer complaint. You obviously have deeper issues.
Australian Airlines has just celebrated it's 1 year of operations. Name one airline that was perfect from day one? Start up airlines begin with a model which is flexible and to be worked on. Through passenger comments and operational experiences they eventually come up with a great product that works well for both the customer and the company. Australian Airlines has now achieved that.

Now, let me address a few of your issues...

YOU SAID, "Low cost! Rip Off airlines a better name".......

Yes AO is a low cost airline, but not a budget airline. Fares are comparable to other airlines which offer full service. Operational costs are lower, but it is a full service airline offering everything other international airlines do, free bar, free meals, entertainment, pillows, blankets and a full crew to accomodate your needs. AO doesn't have business class whch means they can gain more in revenue by filling that space with more EY seats. They do market themselves as the holiday airline.

YOU SAID, " No entertainment unless you're a giraffe"........

Australian Airlines operates ex Qantas B767-300 A/C. They use the same entertainment systen Qantas does. More screens would certainly be better and the introduction of PVT's would be great. I have to agree with you there.

YOU SAID, "Qantas have to keep painting everything like they give two hoots about Indigineous Australia..........

The livery of Australian Airlines has nothing to do with "Indigineous Australia", where did you get that from? The aircraft are painted in a colour that reflects the outback, and most of Australia. It's the colour of our land. Australian Airlines chose to bring the outback to the world. Australian Airlines is a tourist airline, promoting Australia. I guess they could have gone "Sea Blue" or something similar but the Ochre colour is a colour that reflects Australia very well, it's been around forever and we cant change the colour of our land.
While we are talking about Indigineous, Australian Airlines employs many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as cabin crew, from all cities in Australia.

YOU SAID, "The Pilots are dressed like cabbies and the Flight Attendants look like car park attendants.............

Tell me, if you were offered a job, would you base your decision on the uniform? What a stupid comment.

YOU SAID, "Great seat pitch if you're a mini me............

I am a fussy flyer, but have found the seat pitch the same as, or better than other carriers, and it is the same as Qantas. Try CX in EY in seat D, no leg room at all due to the entertainment box!!

YOU SAID, "The only budget side of the operation is staff salaries"........


I cant speak for the pilots but as cabin crew we are on a salary that is the award and the norm for any cabin crew in their first year. Yes I was on a larger salary at Ansett but I earn't that through years of service. We are back on the starting salary now and through time it will increase. You honestly didn't expect us to earn the same money did you?

YOU SAID, "What the hell has happened to Qantas, it now appears to comprise of 6 or 7 separate airlines...........

For your information, Qantas is separated into 4 flying businesses. Qantas (long and short), Qantas Link, Australian Airlines, and the new Low Cost Carrier.

I hope this settles your frustration and good luck with your flying career, I hate attitude like yours.

[request deferred]

Thanks Topdrop for the info, sounds like the celebrations were in true FNQ style. I'm sure a few people carried on to the Woolshed for a bit of 'swinging by the rafters' and other festivities.

Hoodooguru....you sure you're not that cabdriver who took me to work last week 'caus you sound just like him ranting and raving about nothing. I'd like to bet that you have NEVER taken a flight with AO.

On the whole I think AO has got it right and will go a long way but they have to become a much bigger airline to survive and I look forward to seeing them flying from different Capital cities.....maybe they could even think of replacing the 767 with A330, a much better suited aircraft to their operations.

[apacau]

I've said it before on here but my one flight on AO HKG-CNS was a true pleasure. I was also involved in the AO DPS-CBR charter for the Bali victims and the positive comments made by the vicitims returning from the memorial service about the AO crew and experience says a lot.

Methinks Hoodooguru has a grudge.

[Al E. Vator]

...sorry but have to agree with hoodoo here. Very disappointed with Australian Airlines.
Same fares as say Qantas or Cathay to Hong Kong but WAY WAY less service. No variety of meals, no newspapers, crap IFE and poor customer support by parent airline QF.
Why would such a business model succeed?
Consumers aren't all stupid.
Geoff Dixon's little plans may go over well with some lickspittle journalists but the people who determine the fate of these little accountant-pleasing projects (the travelling public) won't put up with this indefinitely.
If they were paying way less it would be another story but travellers such as ourselves who have had one experience will ensure Australian is our last choice in future, if we have to pay the same fares as competitors. Don't believe me: Check the Cathay CNS-HKG-CNS return fares and compare this with Australian. Then compare the difference in quality of product. Cathay have better aircraft, way better IFE, better meals, better F/A to passenger numbers, and better support before and after the journey. No competition.
Otherwise the Australian colours are fine (who really cares about that anyway)and the staff generally eager to please (usually the case), it's the product which is atrocious.

[mid assist]

Thanks missleadfoot for writing something positive on this thread.
Australian Airlines is a full service economy class leasure carrier. It's not ment to capture the bussiness market. It's catch phrase is, Catch the Holiday Spirit. The Tech crew and Cabin crew are 100% devoted to making sure all customers who travel on us enjoy themselves. The airline is still evolving. The product will get better, as the company makes more money and in turn invest some of its profit on the product.
I will have to agree at times i've noticed a lack of support from our ground handlers' in some of our ports.
If people want more food and drinks, they only have to ask!
Yes AO is 1 year old. It was a great party on the 18th hole at Palm Cove. Not everyday you get to be part of a new airline, and i mean part of it and not a number!
:O

[dghob]

Happy birthday Australian Airlines. It's great to see positive stories after a few years of ****e. Every success story, whether it's QF, DJ or Australian should be welcomed as a pointer to better times.

Didn't the old Qantas have an ochre window line in it's old livery to represent the colour of the inland? Nothing new in the Australian Airlines colour.

Cheers

[loungelizard]

"Australian Airlines one year old". You have got to be having a lend of yourselves. If it was'nt for some faggot politician back in 92 who loves snuggling up to young Malaysian boys, it would actually be 17 years old. But that was a majestic airline that the country was proud of. Then they used some dinosaur outfit that was on the verge of destruction to rape and pillage a very profitable and modern airline and now have the gaul to call what is nothing but a national disgrace to the industry our "Australian Airlines" because the tossers at the time made sure during the rape that they had "rights" to the "name". Dear oh dear.

[MoFo]

Jeez. I didn't know he was into Malaysian boys.

No wonder the Malaysian PM, just retired, hates us Aussie so much.

Christ, and I thought he was just a racist .