Qantas Malaysian Base ?

[Hugh Gorgen]

Have just heard a nasty rumour (from a QF CSM) that Qantas are actively hiring cabin crew in Kuala Lumpur in anticipation of a newly established base.

[airtags]

Base is N of KL in Sthn China - consultants for QF there two weeks ago for feasability - deal done on the numbers delivered to AJ & Clifford

[1a sound asleep]

AJ keeps talking up China. Malaysia and AirAsia are set to merge - Tony just bought 20% of MH.

[flightleader]

Here you go....

TODAYonline | World | MAS, AirAsia in share swap to rescue ailing flag carrier (http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC110806-0000471/MAS,-AirAsia-in-share-swap-to-rescue-ailing-flag-carrier)

[training wheels]

Does Qantas even fly to Kuala Lumpur these days? I know Malaysian Airlines has numerous flights from KUL to various ports in Australia but I don't think Qantas has flown to KUL in over a decade.

[stubby jumbo]

Correct Training wheels -we pulled out with a 763 service about 10 years back.

The rumour of a group of "managers" circling some cheap labour in Malaysia aka Qantasasia CC has been around for weeks.

The stench from this whole odious affair just gets worse by the day leading up to Aug 24.

[reubee]

Does Qantas even fly to Kuala Lumpur these days? I know Malaysian Airlines has numerous flights from KUL to various ports in Australia but I don't think Qantas has flown to KUL in over a decade.

not only does QF not fly to KUL when MH can do double-daily from both MEL and SYD, daily from PER and less than daily out of BNE and ADL, but QF doesn't even co-ordinate its flights into SIN, or its JQ flight SIN-KUL so that you can catch the last flight SIN-KUL

[Pukka]

From ATW (Geoffrey Thomas)

Malaysia Airlines and arch rival AirAsia are reported to be planning a share swap that would give AirAsia's parent a 20% stake in Malaysia's national airline, according to Reuters. The news wire reported that Malaysia's state investment arm, Khazanah Nasional, which owns nearly 70% of MAS, would take a 10% stake in AirAsia. Analysts suggest the deal would enable MAS to focus exclusively on premium long-haul services and leave domestic routes and short-haul routes to AirAsia.
According to the report, AirAsia founder and CEO Tony Fernandes and his deputy Kamarudin Meranun will sit on the MAS board following completion of the transaction. AirAsia officials did not return calls from ATW seeking comment.
Lending credence to the report is the fact that both carriers have temporarily halted trading. Reuters reported that the trading halt will last until Tuesday with an announcement about "a material transaction" to be made by Tuesday.
The development has fascinating ramifications for Qantas and low-cost subsidiary Jetstar. In June, QF announced it was sponsoring MAS's entry into oneworld and indicated the partnership would be a springboard for growth (ATW Daily News, June 7 (http://atwonline.com/airline-finance-data/news/malaysia-airlines-join-oneworld-alliance-0606)). In 2010, Jetstar and AirAsia entered into an alliance to reduce costs and pool expertise (ATW Daily News, Jan. 7, 2010 (http://atwonline.com/airline-financedata/news/airasia-jetstar-unite-suppress-costs-shape-next-generation-narrowbody-0309-0)). At the time, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation Chairman Peter Harbison said the agreement could be the start of something bigger, with codesharing and equity exchanges at a later stage. "This is all about let's live together before we get married," he said.

[tryhard1]

Didn't Qantas/jetstar come up with a deal with Air Asia 6 months ago to stream line operations and share departments?

[Xcel]

This is already getting messy - considering aj just sponsored Mas into oneworld - what's the ramifications considering air Asia will get a seat on the Mas board... Jetstar Asia just got the rug pulled by the looks...

[ohallen]

Qantas welcome to the world of Asia.

Do you have any cash spare for our next move?

[600ft-lb]

Wonder if any Ringgits have parted hands out of QF and into some other entity in these previous dealings ?

Maybe this is a harbinger of things to come, the different Asian cultures would all share at least bit of commonality, that is looking after your own before helping out the white man.

Plenty of history of various Asian countries being subservient to the white man in the distant past and since then plenty of history of Asian country's businessmen taking the white mans money and laughing all the way to his new penthouse it just bought him.

Ask James Packer how his Asian investments have gone.

This deal with AirAsia, in non political terms would be akin to MH raising the middle finger squarely at Qantas and laughing their heads off. I mean seriously, Jetstar Asia has 15 airframes if we take into account JQ:A and JQ:P. AirAsia has hundreds of airframes currently and multiples of that on the way.