QF or Expat?

[Chicken or Fish?]

Gday all,

Reading the majority of posts here it seems that people in OZ are growing increasingly unhappy with the way our major airline, Qantas is heading.

Recent surveys at QF show staff job satisfaction is at critically low levels of unhappiness. Most employees are frustrated with Management and the direction the company is going. Mainline shrinking whilst flying is palmed off with lower conditions to Jet*, Australian, Jetconnect etc

With increasing competition from Emirates, Singapore and Cathay fast approaching, Qantas faces very tough times ahead.

At the same time Aviation in Asia, Japan and the Middle East is booming.

So with choices available in the world aviation market who still ranks QF as there pick of international flying jobs?

[Captain.Q]

To answer that question adequately a person's age, expectations,marital status and lenght of employment need to be taken into account.I have been with QF for just over 20 years.The first 15 were fantastic..I had the resources to do my job well.The last 5 have been all about apologizing to the passengers for not having the resources.If I were young and single now,I would probably want to work for Virgin Blue or Virgin Atlantic.There seems to be a good buzz in both these airlines.Branson may not pay that well but he sure knows how to motivate.
From purely a financial point of view I must stay with QF .My commitments have been built around my income.I have to pretty much disregard managements nonsense.I still try to do my job well.When problems arise I apologize, try to find an alternative for the passenger and then write/e-mail a report
I would not want to work for Qf today as a new recruit.As has been stated elsewhere..enthusiasm is the first casualty when working for QF.

[Merlins Magic]

I must say that as a kid growing up it was always a dream to fly for Qantas. But now being in the industry and knowing what goes on, the politics and all the other crap, I must admit that my point of view has somewhat changed.

At this stage of my life and career, I would sooner see myself seeking a spot in Hong Kong or Singapore. But all that said, their is still a bit of national pride that makes me say I would be stupid not to give Qantas a go.

Besides, if these rumours about Qantas keep surfacing about unsatisfied Pilots and the like, maybe the number of applicants will decrease and my chances will be improved.

So I say, 'Qantas doesn't treat it's staff the way they should, the pay and work conditions are below par and Geoff Dixon is only concerned about his own well being.'

You never know, it may work....

[bonvol]

The apologising gets to you in the end . It's a wonder the pax aren't leaving in droves.

QF is content to send A/C out day after day with U/S IFE. Somehow the book voucher sometimes offered as compensation is more an insult than compo. The airline is seriously firked and nothing gets the attention it should. You can write all the reports you like but they must just auto shred them.Sadly there is only another tunnel at the end of the light.

[Metro Boy]

Is safety suffering?

[Captain.Q]

It will eventually.There are some signs already.No, I will not elaborate.

[Going Boeing]

Bonvol

When QF selected the Rockwell Collins IFE system they negotiated a guaranteed serviceability of about 98% (not sure of the exact figure) so RC insisted that to meet that servicability rate then only their technicians could do any maintenance - ie QF engineers and cabin crew MUST NOT attempt rectification of the system (apart from a re-boot). RC techs were positioned at all B744 destinations and later on to all A330 destinations. I understand that the B744 installation is close to achieving the contracted servicability but the major problem is the A330. Airbus won't give RC the source codes used in the Airbus central computer so they have not been able to get their IFE system correctly "talking" to the aircraft central computer thus resulting in frequent crashes. RC are sending techs on most A330 international services to get more information on the faults & try to locate the software conflicts.

I understand that QF has selected a different system for the A380 because they are unhappy with the RC system.

Back to the original thread - I don't agree with the direction that the management is taking the airline but it is still a very enjoyable airline to work for. They have always been very supportive of any staff member who has had an accident or family tragedy etc - well above the minimum required. GB

[SeeBee]

As Captain Q, bonvol and Going Boeing indicate there are significant problems. The IFE is indicative of engineering problems but the a/c are still ok.
The main problem is the senior managemant. As previously indicated the day to day problems of staff are looked after reasonably well - if you have a family problem, are sick etc but the industrial relations are just terrible. You only have to look at the Chairman's response at the last AGM to a question from a union representative - she could not comprehend that the staff were unhappy. Middle management is hiding all the bad news and most senior management are too incompetent to understand they need to find out.
I have a feeling that there is possibly one person in senior management who might have an inkling but time will only tell.
Operationally it is still a good company to work for - hopefully the economic rationalism phase will pass and we can get on with prime task of carrying satisfied cutomers from A to B

Watch out for the SeeBees

[Capt Fathom]

I think a big part of the problem is this bonus pay system that management are on. It is rather discriminatory. Akin to leaving the Fox in charge of the Hen House!

[Captain.Q]

A growing/expanding Airline?
The Qantas Mainline Route Structure is the smallest it has ever been in 25 years.Frankfurt will be removed from the network in June/July.Mistakes have been made..Airbuses.. wrong a/c,Rockwell Collins wrong IFE..redundancies on the way Jet*Asia likely to fall over.IORRA your tune may change if a DCM turns up in your pigeon hole.I hope you are right that expansion is on the way but not by way of increasing frequencies/capacity to existing destinations but rather network expansion.

[bonvol]

Metro Boy, you ask if safety is suffering.

Well, lately I've seen some things being missed engineering wise that are pretty scary. In this game you have to rely on quite a few people doing their work professionally to make it to the other end. With all this cost cutting near enough is getting to be good enough.

I used to look at all the engineering related fatals other airlines have had and for the first time in my career am starting to wonder if it could happen here. One used to take it as a given that a QF A/C would be maintained to a very high standard, minimal or few MEL's etc. Not any more.

[boomhauer737]

IORRA,

Please explain your rediculous generalisation regarding the average "skills set" at Virgin Blue???

Clearly,to make such an "informed" :rolleyes: statement you must have access to the training files of EVERY virgin pilot, correct?

I've heard stories about dangerous,and downright incompetent -400 skippers,however im certain that this doesn't reflect the average skills set of MOST Qantas pilots.....or does it??!

FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Howard Hughes]

IORRA,

Princess Leia in the original Star Wars movie said.

If money is all that you are interested in, then that is what you shall receive...

Cheers, HH.

:ok:

[TAC On]

IORRA

You seem to infer that QANTAS is at as disadvatage because it is a public company, competing in a government sponsored world.

Answer me this:
From whence did the push come, to sell off QANTAS?
From whence came the rationale that QANTAS must be allowed full access to the domestic market?

TO

[sys 4]

Well i've been with QF now 5 yrs as a LAME and i'm not to impressed,Dixon rattles of about tightening our belts,wage freezes,redundency, out sourcing(constant threat to engineers in Sydney),blah,blah,blah.while giving himself and the board a new pay rise of 66% so as to attract the right type of person to the board ie;james packer aka i blow $500m on a sh*tty tele co.While all the while i've been on 50k per yr certifying 747's and getting a whopping 6% total over the last 4 yrs.It's now coming to a point that QF engineers are getting similar pay to semi skilled workers in Sydney(fast approahing with the current trend of pay inreases),and now we are hearing that Oldmeadow has put 0% on the table for the next 3 yrs,with a o/t bank,transmission of business,part timer numbers increased,no loading while on training,and it goes on and on.Moral is nearly at it's lowest point from when i arrived and the nexted stage is people begining to leave.I have began to look at other opportunities as have many of my peers.

[boomhauer737]

Terribly sorry IORRA,

I see what you where saying plain as day now,unfortunately it wasn't so clear in my beery haze last night!!


:O