heads_down
19th May 2009, 22:34
British accent on Qantas's flying kangaroo
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer | May 20, 2009
Article from: The Australian
THE flying kangaroo has developed an English accent on Qantas flights in and out of London as British flight attendants replace Australians.
The Spirit of Australia's trademark "g'day" started to go missing between London and the airline's Asian hubs of Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong after Qantas set up a cabin crew base in Britain's capital in 2005.
With all but about 80 of the 550 jobs at the base taken up by non-Australians, Qantas passengers can find themselves surrounded by British accents and regaled by a local twang only when an announcement is made from the cockpit.
The London base was part of a cost-cutting program designed to save the airline $18 million a year by cutting down in areas such
as cabin crew allowances and accommodation expenses.
The savings come from flying Australian-based crew as far the Asian hubs and handing over to overseas-based attendants on the second leg of a trip to Europe.
While Qantas offered Australians first refusal on the then 400 jobs based in London, the union representing flight attendants says the base is now dominated by Britons.
Flight Attendants Association of Australia international division secretary Michael Mijatov said an agreement with the airline meant that Australian-based crew staffed one Boeing 747 flight a day all the way through to London.
"All the rest of them, including the A380, on sectors from Asia to London and back from London to Asia are done by London-based crew and also the company puts on Thai-based crew as well," he said.
Qantas executive manager customer and marketing Lesley Grant said the airline established the London base to best manage its resources.
"We employ all our flight attendants for their skills and commitment to service and safety," she said. "Their nationality doesn't make Qantas any more or less Australian."
While UK-based crew operate all Qantas flights from London to Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong, Ms Grant said Australian-based crews operate all sectors between Australia and the airline's Asian hubs.
The UK base arrangement provides significant savings in terms of rostering efficiencies and reduced accommodation and allowance costs, she said.
The Qantas plan to open the London base was initially opposed by the FAAA and almost prompted a crippling strike before an agreement was reached in enterprise negotiations.
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer | May 20, 2009
Article from: The Australian
THE flying kangaroo has developed an English accent on Qantas flights in and out of London as British flight attendants replace Australians.
The Spirit of Australia's trademark "g'day" started to go missing between London and the airline's Asian hubs of Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong after Qantas set up a cabin crew base in Britain's capital in 2005.
With all but about 80 of the 550 jobs at the base taken up by non-Australians, Qantas passengers can find themselves surrounded by British accents and regaled by a local twang only when an announcement is made from the cockpit.
The London base was part of a cost-cutting program designed to save the airline $18 million a year by cutting down in areas such
as cabin crew allowances and accommodation expenses.
The savings come from flying Australian-based crew as far the Asian hubs and handing over to overseas-based attendants on the second leg of a trip to Europe.
While Qantas offered Australians first refusal on the then 400 jobs based in London, the union representing flight attendants says the base is now dominated by Britons.
Flight Attendants Association of Australia international division secretary Michael Mijatov said an agreement with the airline meant that Australian-based crew staffed one Boeing 747 flight a day all the way through to London.
"All the rest of them, including the A380, on sectors from Asia to London and back from London to Asia are done by London-based crew and also the company puts on Thai-based crew as well," he said.
Qantas executive manager customer and marketing Lesley Grant said the airline established the London base to best manage its resources.
"We employ all our flight attendants for their skills and commitment to service and safety," she said. "Their nationality doesn't make Qantas any more or less Australian."
While UK-based crew operate all Qantas flights from London to Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong, Ms Grant said Australian-based crews operate all sectors between Australia and the airline's Asian hubs.
The UK base arrangement provides significant savings in terms of rostering efficiencies and reduced accommodation and allowance costs, she said.
The Qantas plan to open the London base was initially opposed by the FAAA and almost prompted a crippling strike before an agreement was reached in enterprise negotiations.