MPs restless as Singapore gets half nod

[Wirraway]

Wed "Sydney Morning Herald"

MPs restless as Singapore gets half nod
By Scott Rochfort and Kate Askew
February 16, 2005

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/02/15/andersonst_wideweb__430x286.jpg
Half a handshake? ... Mr Anderson and Mr Yeo agree to the talks that could give Singapore Airlines access to the Australia-to-LA route.
Photo: Penny Bradfield

Transport Minister John Anderson is facing stiff opposition from within his own Coalition ranks after agreeing with his Singapore counterpart to draw up a "road map" which will give Singapore Airlines access to Qantas's golden Australia-to-Los Angeles route.

Go here for the full story (http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/02/15/1108230002421.html?oneclick=true)

[Skinny Dog]

The only aviation jobs left in Australia will be ticket sellers for Qantas/SIA.
All the other jobs and virtually the industry will be exported or moved off shore. At least then they can say we have a very efficient airline industry .... no overheads, no meaningful jobs and no hope
:mad:

[The_Cutest_of_Borg]

I have said it before and I will say it again... why are we allowing SQ to cherry pick?

They have shown no interest in the Syd-POM-Syd route. Or the Mel-Fuk-Mel route. Same goes for Adl-Anywhere-Adl.

What is so special about Syd-Lax-Syd... let me guess?

They can get ****ed!

[Don Esson]

You are so right Cutie! The Singaporeans are pushing so hard that it's obvious there's a lot in the exercise for them.

If we want to really see the value of an open skies policy, has anyone yet declared what value EK has added to the Australian economy? I've not seen anything from the smart people in Canberra. Has anyne else? :* :*

[Sunfish]

Ah Yes! The screams of the frightened monopolist! they are always the same.

Its about jobs, its about national interest. Its about defence. Its about the economy. Its about (wait for it) the spirit of Anzac.

We have seen the cosy relationships slowly whittled away over time starting with textiles and footwear, electronics and manufactured goods and then the car industry.

Remember the car industry? Didn't they scream that the sky was falling as tariffs were reduced? The economy was going to collapse!

Now finally the cosiest, most protected little player is having the rock lifted of its nest and what do we see underneath? The same predictable BS. The employer whipping his employees into a frenzy about their jobs! The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Guess what people? Remember the average Australian car twenty years ago? It was an overpriced heap of S**T compared to international offerings at the time. Did the sky fall? Do we now produce decent cars that are comparable with international products and good value for money? Yes.

QF services are just like the old Holden. Poor value for money. The Australian public (but not John Andersen) are fed up with getting overpriced crap product forced down their throats.

But guess what people? Its not you who are in the firing line. If Qf is going to compete, it has to start doing worlds best practice. And that starts with worlds best practice MANAGEMENT!

So its not you who should be in fear of SQ. Its GOD and his management cronies that are going to feel the first cold breath, not you lot, despite what he will say.

Go SQ!

[QFinsider]

Whilst I think that the rhetoric from both camps is a little laced with sarcasm I think one must look a little broader than just a monopoly protectionist.

The Singaporeans barely tolerate us. The arguement that it will provide a reduced price is theoretical not practical. Unforunately this indistry like many others is governed by those think tank economists who look at a graph, modelled on the real world but with none of the dynamics or politics of it thrown in. Thus to them the move either positive or negative. They take into account nothing otherthan the cold economic theory.

Would I trust them,not on your life. Look at our manufacturing sector, textiles clothing and footwear, even our rural sector. All scouged by the logic that more competition is a better thing. It may be on a computer model, but for those displaced workers i don't think so. Why is is that under the guise of competition policy do we need to give away advantage. Why are our industries the fall guys for a high brow admirable plan that none of the world actually follows. Most nations protect vast slabs of their economy. There was a time when air routes were considered a national asset.

If Singapore is so concerned by the fares that the poor old Aussie battler is paying, how about they start looking at the thinner routes not already flown or abandoned by others to show their real concern for the plight of australians.

The little island state is a grubby two bit dictatorship, that smiles through a shiny highly polished veneer, all the while covering up the tainted, tacky, dodgy and sleezy interior.

Ive said it before, QF management need to be held accountable, they need to provide direction for their staff, but I don't think that allowing Singapore access to one route will give them the wake up call that Sunfish and others allude to. Let's not forget we are 35,000 employees that don't need our noses cut off to spite our faces.:(

[Pete Conrad]

Hey cutest of borg, whats the diff between what SQ are doing and what Virgin have already done? They both cherry pick and whinge when they don't get it their way.

[Skinny Dog]

Sunshine .. sunfish
Your are a simplistic nerd. The first thing Singapore Telecom did when they took over Optus was cut all the discounting and raise prices. You obviously know nothing what so ever as to how Sing Inc. operate.
They will, if given access, reduce competition and raise fares. They are in it for every cent they can screw out of anyone, it's how Singapore operates. They are loathed and distrusted by most of their neighbours.
As you know so much about SIA start quoting some of the fares where SIA operate in a cosy duopolpy. Until recently and some competition at last arrived, it used to cost more to go Singapore _ Ho Chi Minh return than Singapore Sydney return.
The likes of you won't be happy until the last person with any sort of meaningful job in Oz turns the lights out before leaving.

Just in case you are wondering .... no I don't work for Qantas or any other airline for that matter, I just want some Oz based company or group, albeit a new Oz based airline, to at least try and make Qantas accountable without selling our souls to the devil.:yuk:

[HGW]

What is cherry picking. I thought it was called sound business practice. All airlines "cherry pick"as none of them are run as a community service. The last one that didn't was Ansett and look what happened to them.
Wouldn't all agree that QF "cherry pick" as they expected to by their shareholders and whinge when they don't get their own way say like now with SQ. I don't support SQ's application but you can't whinge about other airlines when QF are doing exactly the same thing. The only difference is they whinge directly to John Anderson and not to the press.

[Wirraway]

Thurs "The Australian"

Airport on the open-sky wish list
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
February 17, 2005

SINGAPORE would accept a phased introduction of an open-skies deal but wants Sydney Airport included in any agreement allowing its national carrier to fly between Australia and the US.

Go here for the full story (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12272877%255E23349,00.html)


==========================================
Thurs "The Australian"

Anderson backs Singapore's flight bid
Katharine Murphy
February 17, 2005

SINGAPORE Airlines has secured cautious endorsement from John Anderson to fly the lucrative Australia-US route, the Deputy Prime Minister arguing that "sensible" liberalisation could help Qantas grow and create jobs in Australia.

Go here for the full story (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12271502%255E23349,00.html)

[cornholeyo]

Well said skinny dog but you forgot to mention "humourless", "anal-retentive" and "shameless and nosy intelligence-gatherers".

They're worried about the 777-200LR and others of similar range and what they'll mean for their cr@p island. Bring it on, Qantarse.