wayne_king
8th Feb 2007, 20:50
Gee, the powers at Qlink, who have for years always refused to reveal any level details of the business profitability must be in a real bind.- With all this spotlight on the business due to the sale they might actually have to tell the truth, rather than the never ending loads of bull**** they feed their staff in order to keep them fearful of losing their jobs, and thereby continually accepting substandard EBA's!
Maybe the Union and Pilot groups might be able to make something out the next negotiations if the government legislates that Regional services are protected, and given the fact that, surprise, surprise, the business isn't on the verge of collapse!:ugh:
Check out last night's lateline transcript:
Govt offers reassurance on Jetstar
Print Email
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 08/02/2007
Reporter: Helen Brown
The Federal Government has offered a reassurance that there is no legislative loophole that would allow Jetstar to be sold offshore.
Transcript
TONY JONES: The Federal Government says there's no legislative loophole that would see the operations of the low-cost carrier JetStar move offshore if its parent company Qantas is sold. The reassurance came on the same day that the former head of the Airports Association told Lateline he has concerns about the future of regional services if the airline comes under new ownership. Helen Brown reports.
HELEN BROWN: The possibility that the national carrier might end up in private hands is generating many questions, including what might happen to the regional network.
PETER BYRNE, FORMER CHAIRMAN: It's the unknown I guess, that's of concern, and that's why we should, or somebody should try and get rid of the unknown.
HELEN BROWN: Peter Byrne served for three years as chairman of the Australian Airports Association, which represents the interests of more than 250 aerodromes and airports. He's a former mayor of the Victorian regional city of Mildura and sits on the council's airport advisory committee. He says the regional service is of national significance and should be protected.
PETER BYRNE: One way to do it, in my view, is to obtain from the directors of APA personal undertakings, enforceable in law, that nothing will be done to interfere with the current regional services.
HELEN BROWN: The founder of the consultancy the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation says the likelihood of Qantas selling off its regional services is not as great as might be feared.
PETER HARBISON, CENTRE FOR PACIFIC AVIATION: Qantas's domestic regional routes are probably the most profitable per capita of any of the routes it actually serves.
HELEN BROWN: And Mr Harbison says others are willing to step in.
PETER HARBISON: We've seen companies like Rex be able to establish themselves very commercially and competitively against Qantas with smaller aircraft in those regional markets and that's with foreign investment.
PETER BYRNE: The business pages are littered with failed airport airline operations.
HELEN BROWN: The consortium Airline Partners Australia states it has no intention to reduce regional services. And the Federal Treasurer says any new owners would need to continue to serve important domestic and regional routes. But Peter Byrne says he's heard it all before.
PETER BYRNE: With all due respect to an assurance, in the business world it's not worth two bob.
HELEN BROWN: Meanwhile, the Government's had to deny media reports that JetStar operations could be moved offshore because the business isn't covered by the legislation that protects Qantas.
The Federal Transport Minister Mark Vaile says there's no loophole and that JetStar operates under different legislation, which allows for the Government to revoke the carrier's international licence if not enough of its business or ownership is Australian.
PETER HARBISON: You want to establish and expand upon a market where you've got dominance and that is obviously the Australian market. So you're not going to relinquish any of your control there. And to that extent a large number of the jobs essentially will be based in Australia.
HELEN BROWN: And unions are continuing to seek their own assurances about job security. Darwin workers at a catering company that supplies Qantas say they're being asked to take cuts in pay and conditions. The Texas Pacific Group has a share in Gate Gourmet and is also part of the consortium bidding for Qantas.
SHARAN BURROW, ACTU PRESIDENT: So this says to all workers at airports, to Qantas employers particularly, “This is what you can expect as well”.
HELEN BROWN: Airport partners Australia says linking its intentions through TPG’s small share in Gate Gourmet isn't reasonable or credible. Search Lateline
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Govt offers reassurance on Jetsar
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Maybe the Union and Pilot groups might be able to make something out the next negotiations if the government legislates that Regional services are protected, and given the fact that, surprise, surprise, the business isn't on the verge of collapse!:ugh:
Check out last night's lateline transcript:
Govt offers reassurance on Jetstar
Print Email
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 08/02/2007
Reporter: Helen Brown
The Federal Government has offered a reassurance that there is no legislative loophole that would allow Jetstar to be sold offshore.
Transcript
TONY JONES: The Federal Government says there's no legislative loophole that would see the operations of the low-cost carrier JetStar move offshore if its parent company Qantas is sold. The reassurance came on the same day that the former head of the Airports Association told Lateline he has concerns about the future of regional services if the airline comes under new ownership. Helen Brown reports.
HELEN BROWN: The possibility that the national carrier might end up in private hands is generating many questions, including what might happen to the regional network.
PETER BYRNE, FORMER CHAIRMAN: It's the unknown I guess, that's of concern, and that's why we should, or somebody should try and get rid of the unknown.
HELEN BROWN: Peter Byrne served for three years as chairman of the Australian Airports Association, which represents the interests of more than 250 aerodromes and airports. He's a former mayor of the Victorian regional city of Mildura and sits on the council's airport advisory committee. He says the regional service is of national significance and should be protected.
PETER BYRNE: One way to do it, in my view, is to obtain from the directors of APA personal undertakings, enforceable in law, that nothing will be done to interfere with the current regional services.
HELEN BROWN: The founder of the consultancy the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation says the likelihood of Qantas selling off its regional services is not as great as might be feared.
PETER HARBISON, CENTRE FOR PACIFIC AVIATION: Qantas's domestic regional routes are probably the most profitable per capita of any of the routes it actually serves.
HELEN BROWN: And Mr Harbison says others are willing to step in.
PETER HARBISON: We've seen companies like Rex be able to establish themselves very commercially and competitively against Qantas with smaller aircraft in those regional markets and that's with foreign investment.
PETER BYRNE: The business pages are littered with failed airport airline operations.
HELEN BROWN: The consortium Airline Partners Australia states it has no intention to reduce regional services. And the Federal Treasurer says any new owners would need to continue to serve important domestic and regional routes. But Peter Byrne says he's heard it all before.
PETER BYRNE: With all due respect to an assurance, in the business world it's not worth two bob.
HELEN BROWN: Meanwhile, the Government's had to deny media reports that JetStar operations could be moved offshore because the business isn't covered by the legislation that protects Qantas.
The Federal Transport Minister Mark Vaile says there's no loophole and that JetStar operates under different legislation, which allows for the Government to revoke the carrier's international licence if not enough of its business or ownership is Australian.
PETER HARBISON: You want to establish and expand upon a market where you've got dominance and that is obviously the Australian market. So you're not going to relinquish any of your control there. And to that extent a large number of the jobs essentially will be based in Australia.
HELEN BROWN: And unions are continuing to seek their own assurances about job security. Darwin workers at a catering company that supplies Qantas say they're being asked to take cuts in pay and conditions. The Texas Pacific Group has a share in Gate Gourmet and is also part of the consortium bidding for Qantas.
SHARAN BURROW, ACTU PRESIDENT: So this says to all workers at airports, to Qantas employers particularly, “This is what you can expect as well”.
HELEN BROWN: Airport partners Australia says linking its intentions through TPG’s small share in Gate Gourmet isn't reasonable or credible. Search Lateline
Search
Sort by: relevance date
Video
Govt offers reassurance on Jetsar
Windows Media Broadband Dial-up
Real Player Broadband Dial-up