QantasLinks flights, jets cut to combat fuel costs

[Paul Alfred]

From the Australian 18/6/08

REGIONAL airline QantasLink will cut capacity, close a maintenance base and make network changes as part of the Qantas group's efforts to combat high fuel prices.

Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said yesterday that QantasLink would retire its remaining six Dash8 100 series 36-seat aircraft, close its Mildura maintenance base and cease flying between Melbourne and Wollongong.

The regional airline will also permanently withdraw from services between Newcastle and both Melbourne and Sydney, while the closure of the maintenance base was a result of the accelerated Dash 8 aircraft retirements. "We will work closely with the affected staff in Mildura to minimise redundancies by offering alternative job opportunities at other QantasLink locations," Mr Dixon said.

Do you think whats happening in this recent article will effect the Trainee program. I'm sure the LAME guys and gals in Mildura who have set up a life for themselves will be shattered :(

Cheers, PA

[Gen. Anaesthetic]

I would suggest it's got very little to do with high fuel prices and more to do with QL's inability to attract and retain enough pilots. Their ranks have been decimated over the last few months and have simply not been able to keep up with the training requirements that would be needed to sustain the existing fleet. It is well known that there are few upgradeable FO's at the moment, so they have little option - in the near term anyway - other than to retire aircraft. Of course there are other options, as have been discussed on previous threads, but these are risky and can't be actioned quickly enough to justify the cost of leaving aircraft sitting around on the ground. This is particularly so when you consider the uncertainty that exists around those remaining upgradeable FO's and their continuing interest in hanging around. Like most people who start a new job their initial intention is to hang around for the long term but once exposed to the reality of life at QL, one soon starts to consider the other options. What once was a fantastic job has now turned into a considerably harder grind than many of the other opportunities out there.

To me this all appears to be a continuation of QF's PR campaign to distract people from the reality of the situation.

So the short answer to your question is no, I do not think this will affect the trainee programme at all. QL are still very focused on getting as many applicants to the trainee programme as possible. Despite everything that is being said, they still have highly ambitious and aggressive plans to expand the QL network. They have exercised all their Q400 options so the aircraft that have been removed from the fleet will pretty much be replaced by the middle of next year.

[Pimp Daddy]

I wouldn't think it will make much difference to the recruitment drive long term (which is about 3 weeks for QantasLink management).

The 5 -100s weren't doing much flying probably only 3 lines of flying - there was always a spare in Melbourne and one in Sydney.

There will be a short term surplus of crew but there are still another 9-10 Q400s coming and that equates to about 6-7 extra fleet units - that's a lot of trainees (and a lot of Captains!)

HR are still back and forth to South Africa regularly as well trying to find pilots to plug the gaps.

[KRUSTY 34]

Quote:

"To me this all appears to be a continuation of QF's PR campaign to distract people from the reality of the situation."

Nailed it in one mate!

[Led Zep]

Last time I checked, my milk company increased the cost of milk rather than sack the truck drivers and close dairies due to the increased cost of fuel.
I suppose a ticket price rise to "combat" the "increased fuel costs" is way out of the question - especially one that reflects what it actually costs to fly rather than what management want to believe it costs (or rather what they want the public to think it costs)? :hmm: