QF and mr Dixon

[galdian]

Evening all
Newbie so please be gentle!
In reference to other/existing/growing threads, happy if mod wants to kick it around and place it somewhere else:

1. Respect GD for making the move and ordering 737NG as replacements after the AN "collapse" (Hello ANZ!!), good cost savings;
2. Respect GD for the very public trust etc setup, money is money to someone/somewhere;
3. do not be too surprised should there be some tax break in it all; whatever you may wish to think total mug and GD are, indeed,an oxymoron;
4. the airline game has changed, low cost is mantra, strangely service is overlooked (certainly by "management" although allegedly airlines I thought were a "service" industry, silly me!, but is it ignored by the passengers ????????????????)
5. other threads talk about the A380 and deployment/different companies /size of scale/all important "who'll operate them" etc (willn't even START to go into payscales etc.
Today's talk is tomorrows fish&chips paper to these management types - anyone who want's predict their future based on the musings of the likes of GD and AJ, well can I sell you the Sydney Harbour Bridge?? - pleeaase?? Good price!! You'll be a VERY lucky buyer at this price!!

Almost final thought - should the above give any indication I am a GD fan then you are wrong - however I do believe, regardless of personal perspective, there's no point in denying certain trends/facts.

Fact: I am far too lazy, indeed computer illiterate to be able to paste threads but I read in GD announcemant a week ago, in the final paragraphs, words to the effect that it was not the "workers" who made the wealth in QF but the magician at the top.

People mistake managememant and leadership; - I will feel deep regret and sadnessfor the families and friends of GD when GD passes but should GD pass the day after he retires I would find it surprisingly fitting.
Where else could he spend his (ill gotten) gains but in hell??

Leadership does not equal management and management does not equal leadership - but on the flightdeck if I see them same-same I do, indeed, feel a warm inner glow. Probably just me, dumb pilot!
Not really ready to set out on a life of screwing people - yet, but should I follow in the footsteps of GD-sensai I would have a wonderful teacher!

Sorry for not useing smilies - beginners got to start somewhere!
galdian

[Going Boeing]

Hi In response to Item 1 of your post. Following 9/11 and AN's collapse, both Boeing and Airbus were offering very cheap aircraft. Dixon personally preferred A320's over B737's because of the more spacious cabin and his plan to rapidly expand Qantas and grab market share vacated by Ansett was to acquire A320s painted in QF colours which would be flown by National Jet pilots with the existing B733/4 fleets being gradually retired and the short haul pilots then being absorbed into B767/B747/B744 and the soon to arrive A330 fleets. The then AIPA president (now CP) strongly told him that there would be extremely expensive industrial action taken by mainline pilots if he went down that path. Dixon thought it through over the weekend and announced on the Monday that the order would be for B738's which would be crewed by mainline pilots. This preserved pilot career progression within Qantas for a few years until Dixon finally got his way by playing the Impulse card and starting up Jetstar. He acquired cheap A320s flown by Impulse pilots and ex AN pilots for less than even the National Jet guys.

He is quite simply a businessman who doesn't give a sh1t about people who work for him.

[Keg]

Ah yes, I recall that one now. Credit where it's due, that would have to be classified as a 'win' by Chris (refer another thread where various QF drivers were discussing wins and losses by various regimes) and a big one at that.

To be honest I think getting that flying was one of the reasons the pay freeze was so easily accepted. Majority of pilots say the expansion and worked out that they were getting a pay rise through seat change so it was easier to swallow. Personally I always felt the two issues were separate (they should be because of those crew who won't get a promotion or seat change).

It's a shame that it's all been down hill from there! :{ :ok: Perhaps in the not too distant future similar statements may be made regarding parking aircraft in exotic destinations. Funnily enough I don't reckon I've seen anything from new AIPA that would indicate that they would make a similar call.

[Buster Hyman]

Hang on...weren't the 737NG's originally being built for American Airlines? Didn't AA get serious sphincter contractions after 11/9 and were more than happy to offload to a fellow One World member???:confused:

[Going Boeing]

Hang on...weren't the 737NG's originally being built for American Airlines?:confused:

Yeah Buster, they had been ordered for AA but were still on the assembly line - some at a very advanced stage of assembly. AA cancelled their order and Boeing offered them to QF very cheap provided they were taken with the configuration that AA had specified. I understand the special deal price is valid for the initial 15 aircraft plus 60 options. The current QF B738 fleet is 33 aircraft with 5 special performance versions on order, so thay can still acquire many more bargain priced B738s. :D

[turbantime]

The current QF B738 fleet is 33 aircraft with 5 special performance versions on order

Special performance versions? Have not heard this term before with the 738's. Are they higher gross weights/increased thrust variants? :confused:

[Sonny Hammond]

Special peformance= smaller engines again.

After the HUGE success of derating the 737-400 engines back to 22K (anyone gone out of canberra lately in a 400???), the QF beancounters have deduced that there is no reason whatsoever to stop the new 800's being fitted with this special performance option.

[Going Boeing]

The special performance version gives a higher payload out of limiting runways even with the lower thrust rating on the donks.

[apacau]

Does anyone know anything about the rumour that these "SP" 73Hs are destined for Canberra routes and will thus be decked out with more J class seats (or have convertible seats like the -400s)?