Qantas CEO Blames passengers for delays

[sheepless]

From an NZ news site..

"Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has blamed passengers for contributing to mass delays at Sydney Airport"

"The airport continues to blame a multitude of factors, including “inexperienced” passengers who are slowing down the security screening process."

I always thought the passengers were a nuisance...Are they really necessary?

[blubak]

From an NZ news site..

"Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has blamed passengers for contributing to mass delays at Sydney Airport"

"The airport continues to blame a multitude of factors, including “inexperienced” passengers who are slowing down the security screening process."

I always thought the passengers were a nuisance...Are they really necessary?
I read he did apologise later for his remarks but of course what else could he do,it has been very clear over the years that apart from a few of his so called 'leadership team' who dare not criticise him he has no respect for government,passengers or his workforce.
I heard his sidekick Steph Tully apologising on radio the other day about the call centre fiasco & of course it was a rehearsed response with the aim of covering her ass & blaming covid.
Instead of blaming anyone they can for their disgusting customer service,they should start listening to the customers who they continually belittle whilst at the same time continue to fill their bank accounts with no guilt.

[Redpanda]

They have shed so many staff, that they only have passengers left to blame...

[Jet Jockey]

AJ a great contributor to the current debacle. His time at the helm of his low cost juggernaut refining the airline ticket cost structure to make baggage an extra now has everyone taking the biggest bag possible as carry on. Airport security parent company offshore. You reap what you sow. I notice the service at QF also slipped massively and now far from a premium carrier since he let all the ground people go. 5-10mins just to get an aircraft door open and then another 30mins waiting for a checked bag. That combined with the check in and security debacles will make a lot of people especially the leisure type really assess their quick weekend escape. Is all the aggravation worth it for a weekend in Melbourne or the Gold Coast.

[blubak]

AJ a great contributor to the current debacle. His time at the helm of his low cost juggernaut refining the airline ticket cost structure to make baggage an extra now has everyone taking the biggest bag possible as carry on. Airport security parent company offshore. You reap what you sow. I notice the service at QF also slipped massively and now far from a premium carrier since he let all the ground people go. 5-10mins just to get an aircraft door open and then another 30mins waiting for a checked bag. That combined with the check in and security debacles will make a lot of people especially the leisure type really assess their quick weekend escape. Is all the aggravation worth it for a weekend in Melbourne or the Gold Coast.
I think if you only have to wait 30 mins for a checked bag you should actually consider yourself very lucky.
I was told by somebody that works there that on a sunday afternoon a few weeks back there were aircraft sitting on taxiways waiting up to an hour to get onto a gate as there were no staff to load the departing aircraft.

[Tom Sawyer]

To a certain extent, maybe 10%, he is right - I dropped the kids at the airport on Thursday evening as they were going to see their mother for the first time in 12 months. I had checked them in online, so went to a self service kiosk to get the bag tags and then shot straight off to join the (massive) queue for security........with checked baggage still in hand!!! It was a SACL terminal person who pointed out my error as I was about to join the line in the old VA valet parking area. Hands up, I'm out of practice at this travelling lark. To be fair also, we were with VA and it only took 50 mins or so from getting in the terminal and getting to the gate. I'm not sure if the massive queue was for JQ or security????

However, the other 90% is due to staff shortages all over the airport. Everyone from the mentioned security to ramp staff, cleaners, caterers, check in, co-ordinators, crew and engineering is short because as usual companies let go of the operational staff (the people that make the system work), but probably kept proportionally more staff back in fluffy towers managing social media, marketing and "management". I've seen it every time we go through something like this (9/11, GFC, SARS etc), but this time it is worse due to the extended period and depth of cuts and people have left the industry and found other careers and jobs, and in many cases better paid with more sociable hours so aren't interested in coming back. Airlines' commercial departments have thrown the flights back into the schedules to get cash flowing again, but without any real co-ordination with the operational departments, and the airports have been caught out in the process. I'm not sure what the answer is to this as obviously the cuts had to be made, but really a bit more of a planned, gradual ramp up matched to the amount of operational staff available should have been in mind, and not going straight up 110% of pre-covid capacity at the first opportunity.

[PoppaJo]

I think if you only have to wait 30 mins for a checked bag you should actually consider yourself very lucky.
I was told by somebody that works there that on a sunday afternoon a few weeks back there were aircraft sitting on taxiways waiting up to an hour to get onto a gate as there were no staff to load the departing aircraft.
Swissport seem to be a tad undermanned. Next to the roo the other day, we noticed they unloaded all bags, sat in rain on tarmac, loaded next lot on, then drove the inbound bags to the terminal after they removed the stairs and ready for push. 30 mins sounds about right.

Some airlines now offer increased cabin baggage for a similar fee vs checked bags.

[Angle of Attack]

Swissport baggage handling is under staffed by 500 Australia wide. It’s a Casual workforce and most of them are 18-25 years old. They don’t resign they just never turn up and no certificate required for sickies so they just don’t turn up as they don’t give a ****. The Chicken has come home to roost and going for an ultra cheap casual workforce will cost QF way more than if they had ever just kept the reliable in house crew that they just shafted last year. I’m actually happy, this has shown them that 20’s something MBA idiots don’t make decisions that are practical. Bring it! QF is shot for at least 2 months, Get these idiot managers to actually do something. I will sit and laugh while they scramble….it’s hilarious.

[PoppaJo]

Swissport offering $2000 sign on bonus for Melbourne baggage handlers at the moment. Must be super super desperate.

[Angle of Attack]

They are also offering pax from other ports to SYD and MEL do a days work pax home with $1000 bonus, tell me how much the casual workforce helps? Lol I’m just laughing at a bunch of new idiots that have no idea how the real world works…

[PoppaJo]

The Chicken has come home to roost and going for an ultra cheap casual workforce will cost QF way more than if they had ever just kept the reliable in house crew that they just shafted last year.
About 15 years ago I worked at a place that wanted to cut flight crew pay by 10% due to some challenging market conditions at the time. When they asked for my opinion on that, I told them half the captains would walk to Qatar and Etihad (boom years) and the costs associated with a lack of bodies would cost tens of millions in cash burn for cancelled flights and some eye watering overtime rates for whoever remained. The executives disagreed and opted for the wage cuts. Needless to say they got it wrong, three quarters of captains walked and I earnt three times my normal wage that year. Executives however lived to see another day.

[blubak]

Swissport baggage handling is under staffed by 500 Australia wide. It’s a Casual workforce and most of them are 18-25 years old. They don’t resign they just never turn up and no certificate required for sickies so they just don’t turn up as they don’t give a ****. The Chicken has come home to roost and going for an ultra cheap casual workforce will cost QF way more than if they had ever just kept the reliable in house crew that they just shafted last year. I’m actually happy, this has shown them that 20’s something MBA idiots don’t make decisions that are practical. Bring it! QF is shot for at least 2 months, Get these idiot managers to actually do something. I will sit and laugh while they scramble….it’s hilarious.
Completely agree & was told the same thing by somebody that works there a couple of weeks ago.
If its a sunny day or theres some event on that is more important than going to work to throw bags for a few hours well you can guess what takes priority.
The reliable in house crew did get paid pretty well & had good conditions but in return they provided a good service & there were many long time serving guys with the experience required to see & fix a problem quickly.
Now,as you say,the swissport people are a lowly paid casualised workforce who are not there to think & just go through the motions if & when they decide to turn up.
I wonder if ex kiwi farmer & now QF int & domestic ceo Andrew David who boasted about how much money getting rid of the unionised workforce would save is having any regrets about his brilliant decision.

[gordonfvckingramsay]

I wonder if ex kiwi farmer & now QF int & domestic ceo Andrew David who boasted about how much money getting rid of the unionised workforce would save is having any regrets about his brilliant decision.

I highly doubt it. His bonus cheque would have cleared long ago and if QF ever goes tits up he’ll just wander off into some other highly paid job.

[Jet Jockey]

Just wait till one of these new kids on the block buts a ding in one of those carbon fibre Dreamliners.

[No Idea Either]

They are also offering pax from other ports to SYD and MEL do a days work pax home with $1000 bonus, tell me how much the casual workforce helps? Lol I’m just laughing at a bunch of new idiots that have no idea how the real world works…

is that for real, they’re ’deadheading’ baggage handlers around???

[Going Nowhere]

There was close to a dozen QF RPT flights into MEL cancelled today and then reassigned as a crew only ferry at the same arrival time.

short of Cabin crew in one direction or short of ground staff at BNE/SYD/MEL and an empty, crew only flight is easier to turn around than a passenger service?

[AerialPerspective]

They are also offering pax from other ports to SYD and MEL do a days work pax home with $1000 bonus, tell me how much the casual workforce helps? Lol I’m just laughing at a bunch of new idiots that have no idea how the real world works…

Yet, Qantas and just about every other international airline and most of the world's domestic operations are conducted with outsourced workforces. Some of Virgin's airports in this country have customer service staff dressed as VA staff but employed by Swissport or someone else.

So, every other airline in the world can use outsourced ramp and baggage (including Qantas outside Australia and at many places within for many years, even going back to when domestic was 'TAA') but somehow Qantas is different. I think you might find that part of the reason at least, is the lack of work available during the pandemic has led people to find other work and many of them have not returned.

My reading of the situation from the recent delays at Sydney Airport, is that this is primarily the fault of a lack of security staff. Anyone who's spent any time at an airport knows that security standards are set by regulation, the resources are also set at a minimum and if for whatever reason the minimum resources are not available, the standard is maintained by the process being slowed down. Not sure about VA but Qantas employs checked baggage screening and AAA at all it's domestic airports, including Sydney, so that process, when subject to a lack of security personnel, slows down check in as well. You can have a 100 check in staff but it won't make any difference if the belts keep stopping because of a lack of screening personnel downstream. There are several levels of screening that stop bags and/or diverts them to be further examined. If there aren't enough security staff then that process has to be stopped while they deal with each level of escalation.

With the call centre debacle, no dispute QF has itself to blame. My view is to not offshore the work - I'm sure that the offshore people are very competent and intelligent but basically, it's like Telstra, if you want outsource something to service a predominantly English-speaking market, then contract to someone who has staff that can identifiably speak the English language. The only slack that can be cut Qantas is that the call times have increased due to multiple questions about covid screening, etc. I believe I read somewhere where there were some problems with certain functions on their website as well which increased the number of calls.

Please watch the TV coverage, at least 50% of which has been from the VA terminal, with queues along the elevated roadway snaking back toward the Qantas terminal so this is obviously not just Qantas.

As for the lack of baggage staff, aren't VA having the same problem?? Is this a lack of baggage staff or is it because of delays up-line causing inbound arrivals to be delayed, thus stretching resources to the maximum and causing delays?? Not saying it's one or the other but inbound delays have knock-on effects that can cause disruptions and delays because the staff are rostered for a schedule.

[AerialPerspective]

There was close to a dozen QF RPT flights into MEL cancelled today and then reassigned as a crew only ferry at the same arrival time.

short of Cabin crew in one direction or short of ground staff at BNE/SYD/MEL and an empty, crew only flight is easier to turn around than a passenger service?

No such thing as RPT anymore now that Part 121 and Part 135 have come into force. Just sayin'

[Angle of Attack]

Today was OK in SYD, MEL not so much, apparently MEL will have record numbers or pax Monday and Tuesday and I can guarantee it will be a catering and baggage handler cluster. I got away with a 2 hour delay at midday and felt happy, Stockholm Syndrome? Tomorrow I won’t be surprised with a 4-6 hour delay. Aerial yep security have been an issue but to be honest QF have had 2 years to prepare yet they are offering free meditation and Zumba lessons in the office while the core business burns..20’s something MBA’s have been proven over the years to be useless yet they still use them lol! The suits need to leave their little world and get to the airport and interact with pax and help on the front line, the time for bull**** emails has ended, get out there and do something useful !

[Going Nowhere]

No such thing as RPT anymore now that Part 121 and Part 135 have come into force. Just sayin'
You must be fun at parties..

Just sayin’ 🙄

[gordonfvckingramsay]

20 something MBAs don’t question and that’s how weak leaders make it appear like they’re leading.

[AerialPerspective]

You must be fun at parties..

Just sayin’ 🙄

Haha, it was a rhetorical comment - fact is I think it's stupid. We've used RPT and Charter for decades and the US still has the distinction yet the regs are supposed to be 'aligned'.

[AerialPerspective]

Today was OK in SYD, MEL not so much, apparently MEL will have record numbers or pax Monday and Tuesday and I can guarantee it will be a catering and baggage handler cluster. I got away with a 2 hour delay at midday and felt happy, Stockholm Syndrome? Tomorrow I won’t be surprised with a 4-6 hour delay. Aerial yep security have been an issue but to be honest QF have had 2 years to prepare yet they are offering free meditation and Zumba lessons in the office while the core business burns..20’s something MBA’s have been proven over the years to be useless yet they still use them lol! The suits need to leave their little world and get to the airport and interact with pax and help on the front line, the time for bull**** emails has ended, get out there and do something useful !

The MBA rot had started to come in before Ansett was gone. All of a sudden someone with an MBA was OK to employ as an airport manager or senior manager, didn't matter that their only experience prior was Crew Manager at McDonalds, Aisle 10 at Bunnings or handing out samples in the gaming room at Star City Casino.

To be fair, it's all industries AND politicians as well. In the past they had a bit of character and life experience, now they've got an MBA, been a staffer and engineered their pre-selection, having failed at everything else they'd done previously.

For example, it doesn't take a Rhodes Scholar to stop and think that "I don't know how many aged have died on my watch so MAYBE going to the cricket isn't a good look??"

Back in the day when I started in the industry, Airport Managers and Cabin Crew and Tech Crew management didn't say "spare me the detail", because they actually KNEW the detail because they knew the industry.

Hopefully, it will swing back the other way at some stage. A certain airline across the ditch went through this in the late 80s, early 90s, putting people in management positions who didn't know the first thing about how the airline worked. They went back the other way after a few aeroplanes departed with loading errors and/or things that would have been picked up if the local management knew what they were managing. Goodness knows, they've probably lapsed again the other way.

[AerialPerspective]

Today was OK in SYD, MEL not so much, apparently MEL will have record numbers or pax Monday and Tuesday and I can guarantee it will be a catering and baggage handler cluster. I got away with a 2 hour delay at midday and felt happy, Stockholm Syndrome? Tomorrow I won’t be surprised with a 4-6 hour delay. Aerial yep security have been an issue but to be honest QF have had 2 years to prepare yet they are offering free meditation and Zumba lessons in the office while the core business burns..20’s something MBA’s have been proven over the years to be useless yet they still use them lol! The suits need to leave their little world and get to the airport and interact with pax and help on the front line, the time for bull**** emails has ended, get out there and do something useful !

Just another observation - while the MBAs are there, I'd suggest they just stay in the zumba class or in their office. My experience in operations, when those who know nothing about the operation go out and try and 'do something useful', they create more problems than they solve.

These are the sort of people that sit in their office and invent utter BS such as 'customer lens walks' - where they briefly come out of hibernation and walk around the terminal pretending they are a customer or walking the route taken by customers. When I first heard that I thought their was a limit to BS, but I was wrong.

[601]

"Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has blamed passengers for contributing to mass delays at Sydney Airport"

The treatment of some pax leaves a lot to be desired.
Family of 3 booked on a 6am flight to a NQ port for a three day break.
Received an email to say flight cancelled and re-booked at 6pm that day.
Phoned the airline and complained. Reply was can carry two on a 9am flight but at double the airfare. Teenage son still on 6pm flight.

As they had a two hour drive to their accommodation, instead of starting their break at midday, it started about midnight after waiting for teenage sun to arrive at 9pm.

Not happy Jan!!!!

[blubak]

The treatment of some pax leaves a lot to be desired.
Family of 3 booked on a 6am flight to a NQ port for a three day break.
Received an email to say flight cancelled and re-booked at 6pm that day.
Phoned the airline and complained. Reply was can carry two on a 9am flight but at double the airfare. Teenage son still on 6pm flight.

As they had a two hour drive to their accommodation, instead of starting their break at midday, it started about midnight after waiting for teenage sun to arrive at 9pm.

Not happy Jan!!!!
He doesnt care how he treats people,he fronts up & gives excuses that mean nothing with that smirk on his face that shows just how insincere he is.
The whole management team under him arent much better & as far as the spirit of australia is concerned the word 'mean' needs to be included between 'the' & 'spirit'

[TimmyTee]

Word is that it is absolute shambles at MEL and SYD this morning..?

[unobtanium]

Word is that it is absolute shambles at MEL and SYD this morning..?

Whoever's in charge of security needs to be called out. problem is these fancy new body scanners pick up everything including a spare mask in the pocket, go back and try again. what used to take seconds in a metal detector now takes more than a minute.

a child can do the math, 1 minutes per passenger, 4 security lane's, thats 240 passengers per hour. good luck getting 10000 passenger's through by lunch.

[PoppaJo]

Security was only 15 mins. Issues today seem to be airline related, check-in, bag drop, loading, unloading, a broken baggage belt, flight crew sickies and so on.

QF seems to be doing all the cancelling also, everyone else appears to be getting away.

[TimmyTee]

Sounds like security was relatively a ghost town for the reasons given above. Can’t blame them today

https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/travel/2022/04/11/queues-sydney-melbourne-airports/

[Derfred]

QF seems to be doing all the cancelling also, everyone else appears to be getting away.

Probably because QF is the only mob attempting to significantly increase capacity within the timeframe of a week or so. I believe that until recently, JQ and VA have been running at higher (relative) capacity than QF, who have been running a pretty light schedule until now.

Alan and co have obviously bitten off more than they can chew, and too busy doing Zumba to notice.

[Australopithecus]

Apparently Swissport had to send some of their SYD staff to MEL due to them being way understaffed. SYD itself isn’t running at capacity, and there were hundreds of bags stacked up in the group area apparently.

I used to laugh at Rex, but now I think that if they can be a viable alternative they just may make a go of it. Qantas sure seem completely indifferent to their customers, and likely will continue that way until there are none left.

[SRFred]

Clearly the solution is simple, jut follow the Telstra approach, make redundant all your useful staff, send the call centre overseas and give the CEO a big pay rise. Problem solved no.

Alternatively we can take the "Yes Minister" approach and get rid of all passengers and only keep management. No complaints then about poor service and the like .....

[blubak]

Apparently Swissport had to send some of their SYD staff to MEL due to them being way understaffed. SYD itself isn’t running at capacity, and there were hundreds of bags stacked up in the group area apparently.

I used to laugh at Rex, but now I think that if they can be a viable alternative they just may make a go of it. Qantas sure seem completely indifferent to their customers, and likely will continue that way until there are none left.
Have been told that some QF managers are out loading aircraft today,imagine the compo claims in the next few days!

[Derfred]

Have been told that some QF managers are out loading aircraft today,imagine the compo claims in the next few days!

That must be why AS shot through to VA

[thunderbird five]

Baggage handlers required by Victorian Government to work from home during covid.

[KAPAC]

Unfortunately we don’t have a land border with Mexico . Leaders would be campaigning on building a wall today while everyone turned a blind eye to the cheap labour coming across .

[Australopithecus]

Just pay a reliable living wage. FFS. I am glad that the casual workforce model is turning against the man.

[Seabreeze]

So the airline coffers fill with payments for flights, and the bookings software is clear about who has booked for what flights.

Then, what a surprise to airline and airport managers, pax turn up at airports and overload services. WTF?

[TimmyTee]

The QF Facebook page is in meltdown, presumably because no one is having any success in getting through on the phone

[SOPS]

Sack all the staff…outsource it to the lowest bidder. What a plan!!! What could go wrong? Bonuses all round! 🤬🤬🤬

[hotnhigh]

In sporting terms, qantas is currently bottom of the ladder in the Div 5 reserves comp.
The fans and board should be after a new coach. Anyone got Ken Hinkley's number?

[blubak]

Sack all the staff…outsource it to the lowest bidder. What a plan!!! What could go wrong? Bonuses all round! 🤬🤬🤬
Of course the bonuses are well deserved,they have all worked so hard & now it is time to be rewarded.
I guess they are all so clever they forgot they needed staff to actually turn up & provide a service to fly aircraft with fare paying passengers on board,you couldnt actually dream up a circus like this.

[ANCDU]

I think we all have short memories, Easter is always a mess we just haven’t experienced it for a few years, it’s just things getting back to normal…which is a good thing.

And what do we really expect of Qantas these days? It’s a shell of what it used to be, you can’t compare it to 15 odd years ago, it’s basically Jetstar with business class now.

[Australopithecus]

Its not Easter yet, and the writing was on the wall three months ago. It doesn’t take a genius to see casuals leaning against a belt loader studying their phones at departure -10 minutes to foresee an unhappy ending. Not, to be clear, is it the workers’ fault…they get paid poorly and suffer random work schedules.

[hotnhigh]

I think we all have short memories, Easter is always a mess we just haven’t experienced it for a few years, it’s just things getting back to normal…which is a good thing.

And what do we really expect of Qantas these days? It’s a shell of what it used to be, you can’t compare it to 15 odd years ago, it’s basically Jetstar with business class now.

A mess?

Defn: a situation that is confused and full of problems.

yep pretty much.

no crew transport after 20 hour plus duty sectors. No hotels booked in various destinations. Crew bags lost across the network. Flights with no catering, flights with no bags onboard, Flights pinged for overflight clearance issues. Zero capacity to contact support unless you are prepared to hold for more than an hour.
It is a mess and we haven’t even discussed chocolate eggs yet.

[AerialPerspective]

Clearly the solution is simple, jut follow the Telstra approach, make redundant all your useful staff, send the call centre overseas and give the CEO a big pay rise. Problem solved no.

Alternatively we can take the "Yes Minister" approach and get rid of all passengers and only keep management. No complaints then about poor service and the like .....

Now that brings up memories of the episode where a hospital was fully staffed but had no patients. Humphrey couldn't get it through his head why that was a problem - one of Hacker's wins if I remember correctly.

[AerialPerspective]

Today was OK in SYD, MEL not so much, apparently MEL will have record numbers or pax Monday and Tuesday and I can guarantee it will be a catering and baggage handler cluster. I got away with a 2 hour delay at midday and felt happy, Stockholm Syndrome? Tomorrow I won’t be surprised with a 4-6 hour delay. Aerial yep security have been an issue but to be honest QF have had 2 years to prepare yet they are offering free meditation and Zumba lessons in the office while the core business burns..20’s something MBA’s have been proven over the years to be useless yet they still use them lol! The suits need to leave their little world and get to the airport and interact with pax and help on the front line, the time for bull**** emails has ended, get out there and do something useful !

Just to follow on from the MBA comment, I thought this article in The New Daily was spot on today:

https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/work/2022/04/12/are-you-a-corporate-jargon-offender/

Hopefully, this trend is going to disappear - the constant use of BS words and phrases such as 'learnings' and 'reaching out' and all the rest of the crap - my day was brightened by seeing it's not just me who finds this whole 'language' an excuse or shield for not knowing anything or to create the 'appearance' of intelligence.

Apparently most of the workforce is rolling their eyes when this crap comes out of management's mouths. I know language evolves over time but that's usually new words emerging or word use changing subtly - not replacing 'lessons' with 'learnings' and idiotic expressions such as 'leaning in' - I seriously think some of these people should 'lean in' to the garbage bin and keep leaning until they fall into it.

Is it just me or is it predominantly the empty suits and know-nothings that tend to be referred to on these pages (i.e. the MBA crowd) that use this silly language. I've always said it's an excuse for knowledge and trying to appear 'separate' from the workforce - i.e. more intelligent - because one 'understands' this coded language - the article above says the same thing.

For anyone who enters any management position, aside from being competent, Don Watson's book 'Weasel Words' should be required reading.

[TimmyTee]

We’re now seeing companies offer airport workers $50 gift cards and “personal gratitude” to entice them to ditch the family and come in over Easter.

How many more levers need to be pulled before the old “higher base wages” one is the only one remaining

[tossbag]

Hopefully, this trend is going to disappear - the constant use of BS words and phrases such as 'learnings' and 'reaching out' and all the rest of the crap - my day was brightened by seeing it's not just me who finds this whole 'language' an excuse or shield for not knowing anything or to create the 'appearance' of intelligence.

Apparently most of the workforce is rolling their eyes when this crap comes out of management's mouths. I know language evolves over time but that's usually new words emerging or word use changing subtly - not replacing 'lessons' with 'learnings' and idiotic expressions such as 'leaning in' - I seriously think some of these people should 'lean in' to the garbage bin and keep leaning until they fall into it.

Is it just me or is it predominantly the empty suits and know-nothings that tend to be referred to on these pages (i.e. the MBA crowd) that use this silly language. I've always said it's an excuse for knowledge and trying to appear 'separate' from the workforce - i.e. more intelligent - because one 'understands' this coded language - the article above says the same thing.

For anyone who enters any management position, aside from being competent, Don Watson's book 'Weasel Words' should be required reading.

Let's unpack this.

[Colonel_Klink]

Let's unpack this.

We need to do a ‘deep dive’ into that.

[PoppaJo]

‘Reach out’ was a classic during stand down. I ‘reached out’ to the HR boss after they screwed up one of my leave payouts after she said on the video to ‘reach out’ to me. Nobody has ‘reached out’ to me yet it’s been 12 months.

[WillieTheWimp]

I'd like to dovetail on that deep dive before we circle back!

[SOPS]

The one hate is “going forward”.

[Chronic Snoozer]

We need to do a ‘deep dive’ into that.

“We’ll need to ‘bottom out’ before making a decision”.

The only thing worse I can think of is if they started using aviation language as metaphors.

[Pavement]

It’s a real race to the bottom at the moment. Booked business class one way with Virgin and the other with Qantas. Virgin have managed to put us in economy in seperate rows. Qantas won’t even let us select our seats. I thought that Bonza wouldn’t stand a chance but I’m rethinking that. 30+ years in aviation and I have never seen it so bad.

[neville_nobody]

So the airline coffers fill with payments for flights, and the bookings software is clear about who has booked for what flights.

Then, what a surprise to airline and airport managers, pax turn up at airports and overload services.


I have been thinking the same thing. You might think at some point someone, somewhere, might have “reached out” and make sure there was ample staff to actually make it happen, however it appears not.

Where AJ has probably snookered himself the most is he has been telegraphing the fact that covid has put pressure on management bonuses and he is losing sleep over management remuneration but doesn’t apply the same principle to staff who are actually required to make it happen.

[AerialPerspective]

The one hate is “going forward”.

....... and the linguistically annoying 'going forwardS'....

[AerialPerspective]

We need to do a ‘deep dive’ into that.

Yes, we need to 'lean in' and 'open the kimono' - oh, almost forgot, we also have to add 'really' and 'really really' on everything....... (as in politicians 'real reform', 'real change', etc.

[73to91]

Joyce blamed everyone else, even the news on the radio this morning was still going on about security but showing images of the baggage drop-off area.

The CEO of JetBlue apoligised 1st.

Following a flurry of cancellations that left thousands stranded at airports across the country over the weekend, the CEO of JetBlue apologized Tuesday for service disruptions at Logan International Airport and elsewhere.

“Obviously we don’t want to cancel flights, we apologize to anyone who was caught up in this or disrupted,” he said.

According to CEO Robin Hayes, who was in Boston Tuesday for an announcement of new JetBlue services, severe weather in Florida was the primary cause of the travel disruptions and his airline wasn’t the only one forced to make cancellations.
https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/news/21263068/jetblue-ceo-apologizes-for-weekend-disruptions

[blubak]

‘Reach out’ was a classic during stand down. I ‘reached out’ to the HR boss after they screwed up one of my leave payouts after she said on the video to ‘reach out’ to me. Nobody has ‘reached out’ to me yet it’s been 12 months.
Little people trying to sound important by using BS words & phrases,the same ones who write e mails & send them out without checking what they have written first.
What about 'pent up demand',they obviously didnt do any planning for when it actually happened,maybe they forgot to 'reach out' to the real world.

[LapSap]

The one hate is “going forward”.
"Let's unpack this..." :yuk:

[CaptCloudbuster]

What about “the Learning’s “ won’t someone think about “the Learnings”!:}

[SOPS]

Well, I’m unpacking what I’m getting from the learnings from watching the 5pm news in Perth. My learnings are…. It appears that Qantas is no longer able to put the same passengers on the same aircraft as their bags.

While I Do yoga with my puppy….I’m assuming that Alan has unpacked the fact going forward that his bonus has gone up..because Qantas no longer has to pay anyone experienced in the ground handling of aircraft, or having ground staff to provide customer face to face service.

Qantas is really making Air Koyo look good at the moment, ( And this is no disrespect to the staff that are left. I know the operational bit has been stripped to the bone.) Good luck to you all.

[gordonfvckingramsay]

“Well one thing I’m not unpacking is my fvcking bag…2 days after I arrived”

[blubak]

Well, I’m unpacking what I’m getting from the learnings from watching the 5pm news in Perth. My learnings are…. It appears that Qantas is no longer able to put the same passengers on the same aircraft as their bags.

While I Do yoga with my puppy….I’m assuming that Alan has unpacked the fact going forward that his bonus has gone up..because Qantas no longer has to pay anyone experienced in the ground handling of aircraft, or having ground staff to provide customer face to face service.

Qantas is really making Air Koyo look good at the moment, ( And this is no disrespect to the staff that are left. I know the operational bit has been stripped to the bone.) Good luck to you all.
AJ & his mate David should be made accountable for this mess as it is them who told us all how much money they could save by eliminating the experienced in house staff & replacing them with a contract company that would provide an equal if not better service.
The board of this company needs to take action right now & show they have a set instead of sitting in their ivory tower doing zumba or whatever else they can dream up whilst there are people all over the country supposedly enjoying easter with no luggage & probably not much hope of it arriving anytime soon.
The courier companies must be rubbing their hands together with the amount of bags being sent to them for delivery.

[By George]

Came home on QF620 last night MEL-BNE. Over four hour delay, total shambles at the airport. No seats in the lounge, standing room only. 40 minute further delay on board "waiting for our bags to be loaded as we are short of ground crew". Further delay "due to discrepancies with the load sheet". The 'Full Service' catering was a single biscuit thingy ( I couldn't open it and left it in the seat back). The crew did a great job with good PA announcements that were honest and apologetic. I felt so sorry for them. All the pax around me were doing the famous, "I'll never fly with Qantas again". I found myself trying to defend them.
I have never worked for Qantas, but I've done three type ratings with them and have a great respect for their Flight Ops side. What a mess and even worse than the the time Ansett began its descent into the abyss. Bean counters who know the price of everything but the value of nothing are destroying this industry. Juan Trippe, Reg Ansett, Eddie Rickenbacker and Howard Hughes must be rolling over in their graves.

[tossbag]

They know that in the end they have you by the balls. (and whatever they have females by? The females that have the XX chromosomes that is, not the other ones, that win university swim meets)

[KRviator]

I don’t get why the Qantas guys board without any baggage handlers around.

The QLink and NJS guys make it clear on the radio that they’re not boarding until the baggage handlers turn up. Customers would be a lot more comfortable in the terminal then squished up on the aircraft.If I were to guess: Metrics. Metrics. Metrics! That way they can say "We were boarded, doors closed, ready for push & start, but we had to wait for the ramp rats, so the 40min delay isn't our fault!"

[Stretch06]

I don’t get why the Qantas guys board without any baggage handlers around.

The QLink and NJS guys make it clear on the radio that they’re not boarding until the baggage handlers turn up. Customers would be a lot more comfortable in the terminal then squished up on the aircraft.

QF SYD-LAX Wednesday pax sat onboard the aircraft for 3 hours prior to pushback...

[galdian]

Working overseas it was the companies Airport Manager who decided whilst the doors were open - only became the Captains aircraft once doors closed.

In Oz also?

Of course the AM would discuss/liase especially in case of unknown Tech delay etc but final decision was theirs.

[KAPAC]

Out of interest , if there was a delay of 1 hour for bags to be loaded but main cabin door closed after cargo door would the delay go to baggage or late boarding of pax ?

[RickNRoll]

Airports voluntarily offer penalty rates on public holidays. :}

[Icarus2001]

Working overseas it was the companies Airport Manager who decided whilst the doors were open - only became the Captains aircraft once doors closed.

As PIC I decide when they board because I am now responsible for the passengers.
The position of the door does not change the responsibility of the PIC under the Act.


Out of interest , if there was a delay of 1 hour for bags to be loaded but main cabin door closed after cargo door would the delay go to baggage or late boarding of pax ?

You answered your own question, delay due to late loading of bags.

[Australopithecus]

Seriously, who cares what delay reason gets recorded? We have all been giving delay reasons for 20+ years now and has anything ever improved? Anybody?

[blubak]

Seriously, who cares what delay reason gets recorded? We have all been giving delay reasons for 20+ years now and has anything ever improved? Anybody?
Agree,its a 'Qantas' delay,all the crap that goes on with different managers trying to blame it on another department.
Guess it gets somebody somewhere their kpi's & a bonus if they can offload it to someone else.

[Tom Sawyer]

Agree,its a 'Qantas' delay,all the crap that goes on with different managers trying to blame it on another department.
Guess it gets somebody somewhere their kpi's & a bonus if they can offload it to someone else.

I think it depends "if you unpack" the details correctly, "reach out" to the department that caused the delay, "car park it" while they complete their Zumba classes, engage in some "blue sky thinking" to ensure it doesn't happen again "going forwardS" and then all "move on" with "learnings made".........until the next time.
Blame is always better to give than to receive.

[Stationair8]

Margin Call in The Weekend Australian, reporting Qantas chief customer officer Stephanie Tully is enjoying an overseas holiday over Easter.

[blubak]

Margin Call in The Weekend Australian, reporting Qantas chief customer officer Stephanie Tully is enjoying an overseas holiday over Easter.
Well,she did apologise & told us how they are employing more call centre staff!
I hope her luggage went where she went.

[KRviator]

Taking a leaf from Scotty from Marketing's book? She doesn't check people in or answer phones, so why should she stick around, while the QF customer experience falls in a heap??

[What The]

This is the person who Alan introduced on a webinar as having had such a hard time as she was locked up with her family due to being COVID positive over Christmas.
She then regaled the real workers of Qantas with a wonderful story of how she and her family at least got to plan all of the holidays they want to take in the future.
The real workers were wondering how they were going to feed their family and keep a roof over their heads.
The upper levels of Qantas are severely disconnected from reality.
It is time to go Alan.

[Icarus2001]

Taking a leaf from Scotty from Marketing's book? She doesn't check people in or answer phones, so why should she stick around, while the QF customer experience falls in a heap?? Don’t fall for that line, what does a federal PM have to do with state based fires, fire services and assets?

[Hamley]

Don’t fall for that line, what does a federal PM have to do with state based fires, fire services and assets?

Nothing at all. The prime minister of Australia can happily wipe his hands clean of responsibility for the well-being of citizens in certain areas. Not his problem.

Same with QANTAS management. Delays are pax fault = I don’t hold a hose mate

[dr dre]

Nothing at all. The prime minister of Australia can happily wipe his hands clean of responsibility for the well-being of citizens in certain areas. Not his problem.

Same with QANTAS management. Delays are pax fault = I don’t hold a hose mate

Have a read of this SMH article:

Qantas boss Joyce in cruise control despite Easter chaos (https://amp.smh.com.au/business/companies/qantas-boss-joyce-in-cruise-control-despite-easter-chaos-20220414-p5adf6.html)

Yet despite some suspected missteps this week, Joyce still appears to be going strong.

He and his team are regarded in the investment market as some of the best in a business that has been marked by failure and deep stress over the past two years. Qantas is now hunting profits at a time when other airlines around the world and in Australia are still getting back on their feet. And Qantas and Jetstar dominate the travel-hungry Australian market.

The corporate world pretty much only cares about profit. As long as the key indicators remain strong (the share price has not dropped at all because of the last few weeks of negative news, in fact it rose 9% compared to the start of the week even AFTER the negative news re airport situation was reported) then the market doesn’t care. As long as the numbers look good then a few days of negative publicity is not an issue as the public have memories of a goldfish.

So the analogy “I don’t hold a hose mate” refers to the boss sitting comfortable because he’s pandering to the interests of those with money and power while the average person on the frontline suffers. The Business Council has backed management in that article too:

The Business Council of Australia even threw its support behind the industry, urging customers to be patient in a Thursday press release. “Despite national recruitment efforts, the workforce at some airports is 40 per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels and small businesses in our cities and regions are crying out for workers,” the association’s president Jennifer Westacott said

They even went further saying staff levels are 40% lower which is quite unbelievable. Just another example of those in positions of power in this country backing their peers at the top while subtly shifting the blame to lower level staff and customers.

We’ve created a society where for those at the top refusal to accept responsibility for anything bad is standard, and humility and acknowledgement of mistakes is a sackable offence. For workers on the frontlines this perplexes us as we know we need to acknowledge mistakes and show humility in order to keep the operation running safely.

[KRviator]

Don’t fall for that line, what does a federal PM have to do with state based fires, fire services and assets?Insofar as the operational management of them - stuff all, I'll grant you that. But if you are the elected leader of a country going through such a terrible period, then bloody well lead! Get Defence involved unde the DACC system by tasking a pair of Hercs to Perth to ferry WA firies to the east coast, order some FARP support from Army Aviation to assist refuelling or having their tankers doing round-robins to the fuel farm, hell even just becoming a central point on the news every morning and evening for Australian's to focus on is better than standing on a beach in America, smirking and with a schooner in hand while people are dying at home.

You don't piss off to Hawaii on a "family holiday" just because "you promised your girls that's when we'd go, so we're going" while an area of Australia bigger than England is on fire!

[C441]

You don't piss off to Hawaii on a "family holiday" just because "you promised your girls that's when we'd go, so we're going" while an area of Australia bigger than England is on fire!

My recall may be wrong, but I'm fairly certain he was already in Hawaii before the fires began in earnest.

Some commentators I think would prefer our political leaders to never leave their country or state whilst in power. Personally, my State Premier is currently at Bluesfest at Byron and I'm hoping she'll stay there! :ok:

[Icarus2001]

Get Defence involved unde the DACC system by tasking a pair of Hercs to Perth to ferry WA firies to the east coast, order some FARP support from Army Aviation to assist refuelling or having their tankers doing round-robins to the fuel farm, hell even just becoming a central point on the news every morning and evening for Australian's to focus on is better than standing on a beach in America, smirking and with a schooner in hand while people are dying at home.

All of which can be done by a PM from anywhere in the world, even on holiday in Hawaii. He is the PM he just picks up the phone and sorts it with those that do these things.
The media were making sport.

[Uplinker]

How long has Qantas existed? Qantas knows full well how to run a decent, well respected airline, and has done so for many years. It is only the dickheads now in charge who don't have a clue. As someone said, as soon as they start coming out with inane management phrases instead of plain English, you know that they - and you - are in trouble.

We had the same in the UK. A well respected pioneering airline, with good pilot training, good standards, good routes, good customer service etc, and which had been going for 40 years. Everyone knew what to do, everyone was happy. Then a couple of new CEOs came in and 'suddenly' the airline struggled to compete, and went under only a few years after. They came out with phrases such as 'north of' instead of 'more than', and used to have meetings to decide when to have a meeting, I kid you not.

Running a good airline is not rocket science. You need 5-7 crews per aircraft, depending on what your route structure is, and you need your own ground staff and engineers. That's it.

If you contract out any part of it, you lose control and accountability, and therefore you cannot guarantee your service. During busy periods, the ground service companies - which are now run like sweat shops and with zero hours contracts - will also not have enough staff, because the staff they do have will have no loyalty to their employer or to the job, (no disrespect to those workers), so any busy times at the airport will be a total mess.

[Chronic Snoozer]

How long has Qantas existed? Qantas knows full well how to run a decent, well respected airline, and has done so for many years. It is only the dickheads now in charge who don't have a clue. As someone said, as soon as they start coming out with inane management phrases instead of plain English, you know that they - and you - are in trouble.

We had the same in the UK. A well respected pioneering airline, with good pilot training, good standards, good routes, good customer service etc, and which had been going for 40 years. Everyone knew what to do, everyone was happy. Then a couple of new CEOs came in and 'suddenly' the airline struggled to compete, and went under only a few years after. They came out with phrases such as 'north of' instead of 'more than', and used to have meetings to decide when to have a meeting, I kid you not.

Running a good airline is not rocket science. You need 5-7 crews per aircraft, depending on what your route structure is, and you need your own ground staff and engineers. That's it.

If you contract out any part of it, you lose control and accountability, and therefore you cannot guarantee your service. During busy periods, the ground service companies - which are now run like sweat shops and with zero hours contracts - will also not have enough staff, because the staff they do have will have no loyalty to their employer or to the job, (no disrespect to those workers), so any busy times at the airport will be a total mess.

Tell the street.

"Australian blue chips edged higher on Thursday to help push the market to a gain for the week, in a day marked by the best session in more than a year for Qantas."

QANTAS shares soar (https://www.afr.com/markets/equity-markets/asx-gains-0-6pc-as-qantas-shares-soar-20220414-p5adj6)

[Uplinker]

Yes, the vultures are descending and the city knows that big short term profits are to be made owing to the ridiculous cost stripping by the CEO. This however does not bode well for the long term survival of a once highly respected airline.

[dr dre]

But if you are the elected leader of a country going through such a terrible period, then bloody well lead! .... hell even just becoming a central point on the news every morning and evening for Australian's to focus on is better than standing on a beach in America, smirking and with a schooner in hand while people are dying at home..

You can make an analogy with the recent airport failings.

Show leadership - be there in the terminal where the unfolding crisis is happening and show your presence rather than hide out at the HQ Welcome back party and yoga session. The HQ building may only be less than a kilometre from the terminal but it might as well have been across the Pacific Ocean given the disconnect between corporate staff and frontline workers putting out daily fires.

Admit your failings, even if you believe they only made a minor contribution. It humanises you and lets workers know you're like them, humans. Instead of just shifting blame to everything else.

Instead you piss off your frontline workers and any failings are covered for by friendly media coverage which sees you get "re-elected" (stay on as executive management)

However the sharemarket sees the situation in the terminals as "well at least the revenue is increasing whilst management have cut costs so profit!" so they see it as a win for those with that profit. They don't care about the human element, that those at the coalface deal with daily.

[Going Nowhere]

QF7 cancelled today SYD-DFW. No S/O's.

[Uplinker]

You can make an analogy with the recent airport failings.

Show leadership........

Admit your failings........

Instead you piss off your frontline workers.......

However the sharemarket sees the situation in the terminals as "well at least the revenue is increasing whilst management have cut costs so profit!" so they see it as a win for those with that profit. They don't care about the human element, that those at the coalface deal with daily.

But this is their modus operandi. Now I think about it, you can see it everywhere, in many companies, past and present. They. Do not. Care. about leadership, about the company, the frontline workers, the prestige to the country, or anything.

They are not interested in the customers, or their own failings. They are not there to lead or create a World beating company, they are there to strip whatever they can get out of it. They get their man into a weakened company, and that man is busy asset stripping and cost cutting as quickly as he can. They will all make another few million each out of it and then move on to the next company.

[TimmyTee]

QF7 cancelled today SYD-DFW. No S/O's.
presumably QF8 is also cancelled - for those wanting to come home, is the route daily?

[601]

But if you are the elected leader of a country going through such a terrible period, then bloody well lead!

If you want to rag on about PMs being away remember what dear old Gough Whitlam did in response to Cyclone Tracy,

The Sydney Morning Herald (https://www.smh.com.au/) Cyclone TracyJanuary 1, 2005 — 11.00am Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin, killing 66 people, a few months after the Australian Government established the National Disasters Organisation under Major-General Alan Stretton.

The prime minister, Gough Whitlam, was in Europe and the task of heading the rescue operation fell to his deputy, Jim Cairns, who arrived in Darwin on Boxing Day.

He took a submission to the cabinet on December 28, acknowledging that the disaster was unprecedented in Australia, endorsing the evacuation of much of the population and providing for the immediate payment of special benefits.

Cairns and fellow ministers Tom Uren and Rex Patterson urged rebuilding a new cyclone-proof Darwin rather than reconstructing the old.

The historian Ian Hancock said the days after the cyclone marked the high point of Cairns's political career. Whitlam returned to Australia on December 28, but resumed his overseas tour three days later.

John Menadue, the head of the Prime Minister's Department, said he had tried to persuade Whitlam to stay in Australia. "He looked me in the eye and said: 'Comrade, if I'm going to put up with the f---wits in the Labor Party, I've got to have my trips."

[Fris B. Fairing]

Sorry for contributing to the thread drift but this piece throws further light on the performance of federal politicians after Cyclone Tracy:
Cyclone Tracy Relief (http://www.adastron.com/cyclone-tracy/tracy-raaf-34sqn-BAC111.htm)

[Australopithecus]

What that idiot awhitlam did during the 70’s was inexcusable, but what Morrison did in 2019 was worse. A leader is supposed to be seen to be leading, even if only symbolically. He could have marshalled the Commonwealth’s resources more effectively and galvanised national support. Instead he chose to be above it all. The population was left with the perception that they were beneath Morrison’s concerns, and the end result is that anything Morrison does since appears to be guided by craven political calculation.

i am surprised I had to explain this.

[Gazza mate]

What that idiot awhitlam did during the 70’s was inexcusable, but what Morrison did in 2019 was worse. A leader is supposed to be seen to be leading, even if only symbolically. He could have marshalled the Commonwealth’s resources more effectively and galvanised national support. Instead he chose to be above it all. The population was left with the perception that they were beneath Morrison’s concerns, and the end result is that anything Morrison does since appears to be guided by craven political calculation.

i am surprised I had to explain this.

If you want to get political...

Thanks to Scomo, Australia has unemployment at 50-year lows of 4 per cent after the worst recession since the Great Depression. The nation’s rate of economic growth is among the highest of the G20 members, inflation sits at half that of our trading partners, and Australia has had among the lowest Covid death rates in the world and the highest vaccination rates.

Whether you like him or hate him, Scomo’s results speak volumes.

On the other hand, Albo doesn’t know his ass from his elbow. Albo can’t recall what the unemployment or interest rate is and he lied about his economic credentials.

[Fris B. Fairing]

If you want to get political...

Thanks to Scomo, Australia has unemployment at 50-year lows of 4 per cent after the worst recession since the Great Depression. The nation’s rate of economic growth is among the highest of the G20 members, inflation sits at half that of our trading partners, and Australia has had among the lowest Covid death rates in the world and the highest vaccination rates.

Whether you like him or hate him, Scomo’s results speak volumes.

On the other hand, Albo doesn’t know his ass from his elbow. Albo can’t recall what the unemployment or interest rate is and he lied about his economic credentials.

I'm surprised he had to explain that.

[Talkwrench]

Yeah it does seem like we are having a bit of a thread drift. It's almost like someone is trying to get this thread shut down....

Maybe someone could start a new thread titled "Will a Liberal or Labor Federal Government be better for Enterprise Agreement staff in the Aviation Industry"
and we can cover the political stuff there?

[Australopithecus]

If you want to get political...

Thanks to Scomo, Australia has unemployment at 50-year lows of 4 per cent after the worst recession since the Great Depression. The nation’s rate of economic growth is among the highest of the G20 members, inflation sits at half that of our trading partners, and Australia has had among the lowest Covid death rates in the world and the highest vaccination rates.

Whether you like him or hate him, Scomo’s results speak volumes.

On the other hand, Albo doesn’t know his ass from his elbow. Albo can’t recall what the unemployment or interest rate is and he lied about his economic credentials.

Explain, with diagrams if you like, exactly what scumo did to promote any of that. I have voted, often against my own best interests, for the Libs for 30 years. Never again. Still haven’t decided if I am going to hold my nose and vote ALP.

[dr dre]

If you want to get political...

Thanks to Scomo, Australia has unemployment at 50-year lows of 4 per cent after the worst recession since the Great Depression..

And therein lies a point I’m trying to make. Unemployment figures are rubbish. They count people on contracts at a minimum of one hour a week as “fully employed”. They dismiss those who’ve given up looking for work. They don’t count underemployment, or hours per week worked decreasing.

To tie this back into the topic of the thread it’s all well and good for airlines to say “we have employed xxx people” but when those people are on low hour contracts with no guarantees it’s hardly an incentive to put passion into your work. Therefore sick calls increase, productivity decreases and no one answers the phone. And you get situations like what has happened at the terminals in the past few weeks, combined with corporates who refuse to take responsibility for any poor decision on their part.

A job today is increasingly not like a job decades ago. They are temporary, transient, casualised, there’s no loyalty and you are expendable as a piece of rubbish if not required. So when you hear a government tout a low “unemployment rate” or a company tout the fact they have given “jobs” to so many people it’s a just a deflection from the fact that “job” is not of the same worth that it had a few decades ago.

[Icarus2001]

Dr Dre you are completely correct in what you say about how unemployment is measured.
However as a standard measure, given the limitations, it is still a valid comparison to five, ten or twenty years ago. By that measure we are going okay.
Have a look at the G 20 countries.

Again, tying this back to the thread. Market force would normally work such that when a passenger has a poor experience as there bag was delayed by two days or their check in took four hours they would buy from another provider. That does not work in Australia. Airline management know they have you by the short and curlies.
I used to laugh when the TIGER air TV show was on, all these disgruntled people claiming "I will never fly Tiger again" when you know that the next time they see a $29 fare they are back in.

Edited to add link...https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/unemployment-rate?continent=g20

[dr dre]

Edited to add link...https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/unemployment-rate?continent=g20

Jeez when Australia’s unemployment rate is the same as Russia’s you know using these unemployment rate figures as a measure of how good it is to have a job in a certain country is BS!

I used to laugh when the TIGER air TV show was on, all these disgruntled people claiming "I will never fly Tiger again" when you know that the next time they see a $29 fare they are back in.

Same with Air Asia. 3 months after the 2014 crash they were advertising “Cheap Fares to Bali!” on Australian media.

[gordonfvckingramsay]

I know the political argument is a thread drift, however I think the political landscape is the very reason there are CEOs around who can gut a company, run it into the ground and then think it’s ok to blame the customer. All CEOs move in political circles and all politicians are susceptible to being swayed by the people in their circles. Liberal, Labour, the Groins and that Palmer thingo are all going to be the same, unfortunately it’s going to be a choice of picking the least sh!tty option, and that’s almost impossible these days.

Interestingly he hasn't blamed the staff, maybe it’s a battle he knows he has already lost.

[TimmyTee]

I can just hear the MASH theme play as the qantas angels/trolls descend on a negative qantas thread. Another bunch of MEL/SYD cancellations this morning, everything that was getting airborne was running well behind

[601]

Unemployment figures are rubbish.
Tried to get a tradie lately?
Just about any shop you walk into these days have a employment vacancy sign.
There is a shortage of nurses, paramedics, doctors.
Farmers cannot get people to pick produce.
[

[t_cas]

Tried to get a tradie lately?
Just about any shop you walk into these days have a employment vacancy sign.
There is a shortage of nurses, paramedics, doctors.
Farmers cannot get people to pick produce.
[

Because the gates closed for some time on the cheap imports and those undercutting the “supply/demamd” equation part of incumbent labor.
it is simply unviable for anyone to leave the house and kids, drive 5-10 hours to live in a dorm to be paid minimum wage. Pay the tax and get back home once a week. Picking fruit.
The pay is all gone in fuel and tax.

As far as tradies, nurses, paramedics and doctors…. Well similar situation. Add the bureaucracy and bull**** (a bit like aviation) to the hours and lack of QOL and bingo…. Same reliance on imports.

At least there were some more places for the locals in Uni and further education for a time.

[Australopithecus]

So far the worker shortage seems to be about a shortage of workers who will either work short shifts (casual workers), work for peanuts, or work crushing hours for months (medical staff).

I have been reading of business owners moaning about the shortage of skilled workers for about 20 years. What they are really moaning about is the shortage of workers willing to be slaves.

[Talkwrench]

So far the worker shortage seems to be about a shortage of workers who will either work short shifts (casual workers), work for peanuts, or work crushing hours for months (medical staff).

I have been reading of business owners moaning about the shortage of skilled workers for about 20 years. What they are really moaning about is the shortage of workers willing to be slaves.

Nailed it!

Over a decade of stagnant wages growth vs cost of living could be a contributing factor?

However, I'm sure Scomo's policy of getting first home buyers into homes at 2% deposit on the cusp of imminent interest rate rises will deliver another swathe of people into fiscal bondage for the bulk of their lives that will have very little choice in what rates and shifts they work for.

[t_cas]

Nailed it!

Over a decade of stagnant wages growth vs cost of living could be a contributing factor?

However, I'm sure Scomo's policy of getting first home buyers into homes at 2% deposit on the cusp of imminent interest rate rises will deliver another swathe of people into fiscal bondage for the bulk of their lives that will have very little choice in what rates and shifts they work for.

Apart from the obvious pork barreling, it will have the effect of continued upward pressure on home prices, hence continued upward wealth of investors.

[gordonfvckingramsay]

https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/airport-debacle-triggers-blame-game-for-qantas/13846674

[blubak]

https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/airport-debacle-triggers-blame-game-for-qantas/13846674
All the standard responses,they are always right,everybody else is wrong.
You say the sky is blue,they will argue it is black & of course theyre right.

[twentyelevens]

All the standard responses,they are always right,everybody else is wrong.
You say the sky is blue,they will argue it is black & of course theyre right.

I notice that foul grub, GT had his feckless stench all over this article. Offering up his cornhole, and defending Qantas management at all costs.

[rodney rude]

Spot on 20/11 - seems he's learned the art of avoidance from all the pollies he crawls into bed with. Not a chance one could defend Qantas over these issues. But Grub butt was able to avoid criticising QF
whilst giving his "aviation expert" opinions. Notice he did not make one statement apportioning any blame on Qantas' policies and performance.

And spare a thought for the aircrew - no doubt being rostered for 8, 10 or whatever hour shifts, and having the delays turn their days into marathons for no extra reward. Was always one of my frustrations in the airlines, management decisions, operational shortfalls, whatever, but all things beyond the crews' control leading to delays and extended days for no overtime whilst the decisionmakers are home cuddling up with Snuggles the cat by the fire.

[blubak]

I notice that foul grub, GT had his feckless stench all over this article. Offering up his cornhole, and defending Qantas management at all costs.
Probably got gifted a seat on the inaugural Per-Fco service in return for his 'expert opinion'.
He would have no idea as to how an experienced workforce solves problems many times over every day & this shows in his simple minded analysis of the issue.

[PPRuNeUser0198]

The best crew rest I have ever seen...

https://australianaviation.com.au/2022/04/exclusive-qantas-crew-sleep-across-seats-in-front-of-passengers/ (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/austaviation_exclusive-qantas-crew-sleep-across-seats-activity-6922463205373988864--KB_?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=ios_app)

[t_cas]

The best crew rest I have ever seen...

https://australianaviation.com.au/2022/04/exclusive-qantas-crew-sleep-across-seats-in-front-of-passengers/ (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/austaviation_exclusive-qantas-crew-sleep-across-seats-activity-6922463205373988864--KB_?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=ios_app)

This is the flying the kiwi crew are doing because the Australian crews did not agree to the sub standard rest arrangements.
i heard a brief mention on the wireless a couple of days ago in bne. I am surprised it has not got more media attention. Blatant offshoring of labor to circumvent protections.

[Uplinker]

So far the worker shortage seems to be about a shortage of workers who will either work short shifts (casual workers), work for peanuts, or work crushing hours for months (medical staff).

I have been reading of business owners moaning about the shortage of skilled workers for about 20 years. What they are really moaning about is the shortage of workers willing to be slaves.

Spot on !

OK, not exactly slaves, but nevertheless I used to wonder why I and the rest of the crew were expected to subsidise the cost of our passenger's tickets through our lowered wages and increased duty times.

Why couldn't our glorious - and supposedly so clever - leaders be a bit more imaginative in competition instead of just going for the lowest ticket price, at the expenses of their worker's sanity and families.

Any idiot could just cut costs and outsource almost everything...........and sadly, they do.
.

[t_cas]

Spot on !.

Any idiot could just cut costs and outsource almost everything...........and sadly, they do.
.

The outsourcing is going well also…….

sowing and reaping.

[gordonfvckingramsay]

Why couldn't our glorious - and supposedly so clever - leaders be a bit more imaginative in competition instead of just going for the lowest ticket price……
.

And let us not forget who was the champion of the LCC cancer in the early days. The guy who, himself helped to drive ticket prices down so low that it didn’t even cover the cost of the landing fees. It’s the dumbest of the own goals I can think of.

[Matt48]

Haven't we all seen this situation before on 'Yes Minister', health minister was asked how the new hospital was going, answer was ' very well sir', ok, how many patients do they have now, er, none sir, that would just foul things up and reduce their efficient operation.

[Seabreeze]

Here is a recent example of a recent Qantas stuff up. A friend visits us in Sydney. She is due to fly out Friday 15th to LAX on QF11. She arrives at Terminal 1 three hours+ before the ETD and unfortunately tests positive to RAT, then has a PCR test (positive) but by now has missed her flight. She goes into self-quarantine- no symptoms. The following week she has a 3-hour wait on the phone to rebook and it costs an extra $3000. She sees a local medic and gets the required letter of clearance, and sends an email to [email protected] as required more than 24 hours prior to departure (now to be on QF17 at 2140 on Sunday 24th after a Arriving at the checkin she is told No, your email was not received. She points to her outbox, and notes her email did not bounce. Therefore she argues it was received. She is told No Ma’am, you don’t understand, COVID is responsible for this, it is not our fault. She is told there is no way they can accept her letter of clearance even though she has the original in her hand and offers it. The kind Qantas assistant simply says, you will have to rebook for a later day, and send your letter in via email as required, or…… you could take a RAT here and now. Not wanting to pay ANOTHER $3000 to rebook YET AGAIN she takes a chance, has the RAT and thankfully tests negative, so is finally on her way.

This Qantas Customer Service was inflexible, arrogant, uncaring……(but to be fair the problems are obviously all the fault of our friend, the pax!)… Is this SOP?.

I suggested she write and complain, she said it is easier just to fly with another airline in future.

Are you reading this Alan? I would be happy to receive a pm.

Seabreeze

[blubak]

Here is a recent example of a recent Qantas stuff up. A friend visits us in Sydney. She is due to fly out Friday 15th to LAX on QF11. She arrives at Terminal 1 three hours+ before the ETD and unfortunately tests positive to RAT, then has a PCR test (positive) but by now has missed her flight. She goes into self-quarantine- no symptoms. The following week she has a 3-hour wait on the phone to rebook and it costs an extra $3000. She sees a local medic and gets the required letter of clearance, and sends an email to [email protected] as required more than 24 hours prior to departure (now to be on QF17 at 2140 on Sunday 24th after a Arriving at the checkin she is told No, your email was not received. She points to her outbox, and notes her email did not bounce. Therefore she argues it was received. She is told No Ma’am, you don’t understand, COVID is responsible for this, it is not our fault. She is told there is no way they can accept her letter of clearance even though she has the original in her hand and offers it. The kind Qantas assistant simply says, you will have to rebook for a later day, and send your letter in via email as required, or…… you could take a RAT here and now. Not wanting to pay ANOTHER $3000 to rebook YET AGAIN she takes a chance, has the RAT and thankfully tests negative, so is finally on her way.

This Qantas Customer Service was inflexible, arrogant, uncaring……(but to be fair the problems are obviously all the fault of our friend, the pax!)… Is this SOP?.

I suggested she write and complain, she said it is easier just to fly with another airline in future.

Are you reading this Alan? I would be happy to receive a pm.

Seabreeze
I agree with her reasoning,what hope has anyone got when they are dealing with a company that is always right.
They have their list of excuses & they are never wrong.

[KRviator]

Not just Qaint-asre.

Bloke I know was due to fly to Ballina with his missus and booked with Pelican on account of him not having his CIR and needing to get there on time(ish). Being a sensible fellow he purchased 'refund protection' as part of the booking process, "just in case" and lo and behold, Pelican cancelled the flight after the airport was NOTAM'd closed due to flooding. A straightforward case of "Here's your refund, sir, hope the weather's better next time", you would think, but....

Nope! Refund was denied by the (third-party) provider on the grounds "the airline cancelled the flight, so they're responsible for the refund". So he goes to Pelican with a copy of that email. Says they "NO, you purchased refund protection from a third party, they're responsible, not our problem." So he goes back to them now armed with Pelican's email. After two days of back and forth he gets jack of it and promptly lodges a civil claim against FlyPelican in the NSW Civil & Administrative tribunal, now chasing not just the refund, but the consequential losses incurred including filing fees, travel to attend hearings, his time compiling emails etc.. Pelican then get contract lawyers involved and ultimately offer a refund of the airfares and filing fees.

One things for sure, said bloke (also a pilot and aircraft owner) will never fly Pelican again.

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

Just because you sent an email, does not guarantee the addressee received it. So when the below (my bolding and colour) did not happen, what did the friend do?What happens nextOnce you've submitted your documents, your request will be assessed in accordance with the relevant government COVID-19 vaccination exemption and past positive medical clearance guidelines and requirements.

We'll then contact you to advise:

if your request for a COVID-19 vaccination exemption or COVID-19 past positive medical clearance is accepted (pending test results), or
if your request isn't accepted and advise you of your options.

She is told there is no way they can accept her letter of clearance even though she has the original in her hand and offers it.3. At the airportWhen you arrive at the airport on your day of departure:

For flights departing Australia, we're not able to process any COVID-19 past positive medical clearances at the airport on your day of departure. Therefore, you'll need to ensure you submit all relevant documentation in advance, otherwise your request will not be considered, and you may not be able to board your flight.

That they will not process clearances at the airport on the day of departure is mentioned a couple of times else where, so should not have been a surprise. She has turned up at the airport without receiving prior advice from QF that she can travel or not.
There is no mention in the QF document of taking a RAT at the airport in a case such as this to prove COVID status. That the QF staff let her do it, and then let her on the flight, when their published SOP says they won't, to me, says they did her a massive favour.
Rather than slagging QF. she should be praising them for bending their own rules and ultimately saving her another $3000.

[Oriana]

Just because you sent an email, does not guarantee the addressee received it.

Seriously? They can't have a damn auto-reply/receipt confirming that an email is received?

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

You'd think so. Maybe they could. Maybe they should. I too think a reference number or something back would be expected, but they don't. They don't tell you that you'll get a receipt confirmation, but they do tell you they will contact you with the result. If I hadn't heard from them, I'd be chasing them, because they make it pretty clear what happens otherwise.

[Seabreeze]

Post 126.. Traffic is... Are you serious? Supporting the airline approach when the customer (who has already shelled out hard cash up front) does not follow up the non-receipt of her email. How does she follow up, send it again and again every 5 mins, 10 mins, hour???, not knowing if and when a response should come? Sit on the phone for another 3 hours? To whom?

Airline and government approaches were/are changing daily. She pays her fares and hopes that Qantas will look after her, not find reasons to make her rebook again costing her further cash. This sort of approach was championed by no less than Basil Fawlty; perhaps Qantas should change its name to Fawlty Flyers in respect of Basil.

You (Traffic is) appear to know the exact details of how the system works right now, presumably because of your current role as a professional pilot (or a Qantas spin doctor). It is surely the company's responsibility to make the rebook and check in requirements of their PAYING passengers as simple as possible.

[Seabreeze]

oh, and I suggest that it is far more common for a received email to be ignored than for an automated system to selectively ignore and not bounce an individual email. If the latter happens, it has been poorly designed, on purpose or by accident.

Anyway, apologists for this appalling management can be happy sticking to their views. They may one day be unemployed or unemployable.
SB

[601]

You'd think so. Maybe they could. Maybe they should. I too think a reference number or something back would be expected, but they don't. They don't tell you that you'll get a receipt confirmation, but they do tell you they will contact you with the result. If I hadn't heard from them, I'd be chasing them, because they make it pretty clear what happens otherwise.

Good business practice and common sense would have a replay email acknowledging receipt of her email with information on what the next step is including words to the effect "if you do not receive conformation within ## hours, please call ## #### ####"

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

(or a Qantas spin doctor)
I don't work for Qantas, but I see hundreds of people get on their overseas (including QF) flights everyday. I rarely see passengers getting turned away. Clearly, what ever processes the airlines have in place works for 99.9% of the passengers. Yet one pax has an issue and the whole system is B/S? They let her on the damned flight FFS, despite not having gone through the process they would have preferred she follow. Your friend got COVID and couldn't fly. Not the airlines fault, and happened (and still happens) to many, many people. Once "negative" she sits on hold to a call centre for hours to rebook - that sh*tty service is pretty common across all the carriers (not just QF) with limited seats and a lot of demand. She shells out an extra $3000 to get on another flight - was that what she elected to pay to get a sooner flight? Did QF offer her something cheaper she rejected? You don't say, so we don't know. Again, she's not alone there. There's plenty of tales of woe around flying anywhere the last couple of years. Then when she does turn up, there's problems, but ultimately, they get sorted, and she goes. Happy days. How is this:
..... a recent example of a recent Qantas stuff up.
I'm certainly no QF apologist, but apart from the email he said/she said palaver, your friend got rebooked to fly on the 24th and flew on the 24th. If she's had to pay more to make that happen when she needs it to happen, welcome to the airline business. QF aren't alone there by any means either.
It is surely the company's responsibility to make the rebook and check in requirements of their PAYING passengers as simple as possible.
Maybe it was as simple as possible under the circumstances, given the restrictions and requirements many overseas destinations still impose on persons intending to fly there (which are put back on all the airlines to manage and ensure under penalty of fines). All airlines carrying passengers overseas are struggling with the box-ticking that the destinations still require. It is nothing like pre-COVID times. As far as airlines looking after their paying customers, that boat sailed a long time ago.
I suggest that it is far more common for a received email to be ignored than for an automated system to selectively ignore and not bounce an individual email.
So out of hundreds, if not thousands of people QF are flying around who have a past positive COVID history for which QF and the destinations require some additional documentation and for whom that system is working, QF went out of their way to selectively (either manually or automatically) ignore your friend? Really? Why would they do that? They want you to fly on the day you booked with the least hassle possible. They don't want to be having stand ups with every second passenger. It's a hell of a lot easier for everyone. As evidenced by the fact that your friend did indeed fly on the day she was booked.
If the latter happens, it has been poorly designed, on purpose......
Now you are being ridiculous.
Good business practice and common sense would have a replay email acknowledging receipt of her email with information on what the next step is including words to the effect "if you do not receive conformation within ## hours, please call ## #### ####"
I agree, you'd think they would. They obviously feel they don't have to. That's the only stuff up I can see QF has made in the above rant, and that's just a matter of opinion.

[Vag277]

Why not put a received and read requirement on original email? Sounds like a whinger to me.