Qantas: One Big Unhappy Family
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Qantas: One Big Unhappy Family
If you spend enough time either reading forums on PPrUne or perusing other aviation websites and it soon becomes apparent that all is not well with the Qantas Family.
Pilots within the Group are unhappy and are at each others throats.Ground Engineers are facing oblivion as management seeks to dismantle what was once one of the best Heavy maintenance facilities in the world.
Been on a Qantas aircraft lately?You dont see a lot of happy smiling faces on the Cabin Crew.
The ground staff in every Australian Port are underresourced by about thirty percent.Sometimes there arent enough staff to greet an arriving aircraft.Brisbane and Perth are absolute disasters.
The office dwellers work in a toxic environment and are motivated by fear.The standing joke suggests that you require chain mail underwear to survive.Dont drop the soap
Surely this cant be good for business?.
Staff engagement surveys suggest that staff in general are so disengaged that many are seeking ways to sabotage the business.Early last year a number of aircraft were delayed around the world when one individual decided to vent his anger and frustration by feeding blankets into aircraft waste systems.
Others have damaged multiple aircraft interphones again causing protracted delays.
Most are waiting for Dixon to leave in the hope that his departure will improve the non existent morale.
A very sad state of affairs for what was once an oustanding airline.An airline that could again reach pre eminence if only someone at the top cared about the Company and not their bonus.
Pilots within the Group are unhappy and are at each others throats.Ground Engineers are facing oblivion as management seeks to dismantle what was once one of the best Heavy maintenance facilities in the world.
Been on a Qantas aircraft lately?You dont see a lot of happy smiling faces on the Cabin Crew.
The ground staff in every Australian Port are underresourced by about thirty percent.Sometimes there arent enough staff to greet an arriving aircraft.Brisbane and Perth are absolute disasters.
The office dwellers work in a toxic environment and are motivated by fear.The standing joke suggests that you require chain mail underwear to survive.Dont drop the soap
Surely this cant be good for business?.
Staff engagement surveys suggest that staff in general are so disengaged that many are seeking ways to sabotage the business.Early last year a number of aircraft were delayed around the world when one individual decided to vent his anger and frustration by feeding blankets into aircraft waste systems.
Others have damaged multiple aircraft interphones again causing protracted delays.
Most are waiting for Dixon to leave in the hope that his departure will improve the non existent morale.
A very sad state of affairs for what was once an oustanding airline.An airline that could again reach pre eminence if only someone at the top cared about the Company and not their bonus.
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Good post defcon. So sad but very true. As a QF engineer I used to thoroughly enjoy what I did and took pride in the fact that we delivered a high quality product on time every time. The boys would go 'above and beyond' to ensure that there were minimal delays and MEL's.
Now management have sucked the life out of not only the engineers, but seemingly the entire workforce. So the big questions are: With morale being at an all time low, what can qf do to fix this? Is it fixable?
Now management have sucked the life out of not only the engineers, but seemingly the entire workforce. So the big questions are: With morale being at an all time low, what can qf do to fix this? Is it fixable?
If you spend enough time either reading forums on PPrUne or perusing other aviation websites and it soon becomes apparent that all is not well with the Qantas Family.
Pilots within the Group are unhappy and are at each others throats.
)Unhappy with promotion? Yes and no. Certainly not unhappy and at each others throats. What an absolute crock of horses@#$!! There are a minority who will always see the glass completely empty. Doesn't bother me that I will get a command in the 10-12 yr frame of being in the company. Does p1ss me off that jet* boys & girls get one in about 6mths if qualified. Would I swap? Not on your life.
Ground Engineers are facing oblivion as management seeks to dismantle what was once one of the best Heavy maintenance facilities in the world.
Been on a Qantas aircraft lately?You dont see a lot of happy smiling faces on the Cabin Crew.
The ground staff in every Australian Port are underresourced by about thirty percent.Sometimes there arent enough staff to greet an arriving aircraft.Brisbane and Perth are absolute disasters.
The office dwellers work in a toxic environment and are motivated by fear.The standing joke suggests that you require chain mail underwear to survive.Dont drop the soap
Surely this cant be good for business?.
Surely this cant be good for business?.
Staff engagement surveys suggest that staff in general are so disengaged that many are seeking ways to sabotage the business.
Early last year a number of aircraft were delayed around the world when one individual decided to vent his anger and frustration by feeding blankets into aircraft waste systems.Others have damaged multiple aircraft interphones again causing protracted delays.
Most are waiting for Dixon to leave in the hope that his departure will improve the non existent morale.
A very sad state of affairs for what was once an oustanding airline.An airline that could again reach pre eminence if only someone at the top cared about the Company and not their bonus.
M
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mmmbop, I agree with your statement "if you think you are getting the pulse of the company from 'avaition websites' then you are a fool"
However, you need to get out and about. Talk to the people who really count - the customers. Methinks you might have your head in the ground.
However, you need to get out and about. Talk to the people who really count - the customers. Methinks you might have your head in the ground.
Pundit,
I believe Defcon's post is about qantas staff and qantas staff only. So in keeping with his theme, i replied from the view of qantas staff. 'Head in the sand' and 'customers' are entirely diffferent topics.....
In case you miss my point, maybe you should go bock to LOGIC 101 at university for argument validity.
M
I believe Defcon's post is about qantas staff and qantas staff only. So in keeping with his theme, i replied from the view of qantas staff. 'Head in the sand' and 'customers' are entirely diffferent topics.....
In case you miss my point, maybe you should go bock to LOGIC 101 at university for argument validity.
M
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.........love the subject heading, only trouble is tell us sumfin' that we all DON'T know !!!
I doubt there are too many out there that believe QF IS one big happy family, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out!
CW
I doubt there are too many out there that believe QF IS one big happy family, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out!CW
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mmmbop, I didn't miss your point.
I agree, you are correct re the original post.
Unfortunately, the tragic mess within QF is very visible to the outside world and is being felt by the customers. Whether you want to accept it or not, even students of Logic 101 will tell you there is a link between poor morale with customer service.
I agree, you are correct re the original post.
Unfortunately, the tragic mess within QF is very visible to the outside world and is being felt by the customers. Whether you want to accept it or not, even students of Logic 101 will tell you there is a link between poor morale with customer service.
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I agree totally with DEFCON4. How can the front line staff put on a happy face when behind the scenes you don't know the next time you will be shafted. You know it is going to happen but not when.
Myself and lot of my Qf colleagues were once very company oriented,but now why bother. it doesn't matter if you slog your guts out or just do the minimum no one cares anymore.
The sooner Dixon goes hopefully things will turn around. But then again is the next in line for his job going to be a bigger @sshole.
QF has so much potential but it will not be reached while staff are continually treated with such disdain.
Myself and lot of my Qf colleagues were once very company oriented,but now why bother. it doesn't matter if you slog your guts out or just do the minimum no one cares anymore.
The sooner Dixon goes hopefully things will turn around. But then again is the next in line for his job going to be a bigger @sshole.
QF has so much potential but it will not be reached while staff are continually treated with such disdain.
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I don't think it is any worse then any other airline. It is the time it operates in. After the dreaded 89 and after a overseas stint, I joined up after 20 odd great years in TAA. Both airlines were Govt run, top heavy, yes, but marvelous companies to work for. They could not be sustained, and could not operate in todays operations. You had a job for life (except for unexpected Pilot strikes) you could with confidence get a mortgage, produce some kids, buy a car, and enjoy your flying. On the flight decks the talk was only the three s's (except for a bit of footy) sex, salary and seniority (not always in that order) life was sweet. I have three kids who followed in my footsteps, both cabin and sharp end, and life is harder for them. Insecure jobs (in the cabin) light years to get a command, flying the ass of them, low morale, they have no loyalty to their companies, and don't expect any back. The other child is a engineer. He left school with only one thing in mind, to be a aircraft engineer. He joined QF, served his apprenticeship, loved every moment, and at the end, QF fired him and the rest of his class. "we don't need any more engineers they said" well fool them, he and his mates can name their own price anywhere in the world, and now QF wants them back! QF is now only indicative of todays world, and us old buggers really feel for you young bucks it should not be this hard, or so insecure. We were the blokes who started the bid system, fought for better conditions and wages for pilots, and we really thought we were setting up a better job and life for those who followed, judging by the constant stream of pilots, cabin crew, and engineers who seem to live constantly at our house, (some our own, some their mates) (our food and grog bill is off the clock) and listening to their conversations we seemed to have failed somehow along the way.
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I read with interest, I too have been a QF a long time and the feeling that surrounds us now is one of intimidation do the wrong thing -you're out, do the right thing and be critiqued beyond question. What happened to educating the people who make mistakes and thanking those that do do the right thing I am at a loss at the current management's behaviour and if it does truly stem from Geoff then they all need to go.
As for you mmmbop only one idiot in QF goes by the initial M and his strategy is all too clear I suggest you simply do not sign off
As for you mmmbop only one idiot in QF goes by the initial M and his strategy is all too clear I suggest you simply do not sign off
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Teresa...True To a Certain Extent
Sure,Airlines needed to change.But the way the change has been implemented has been unecessarily brutal.
To manage change successfully there is a need to communicate effectively with employees.This has not been done at Qantas in particular.
Employees have been crushed and have been expected to perform above and beyond while being treated with contempt.
"The floggings will continue until morale improves"
There is lip service paid to "our people are greatest asset".
Middle and senior management commit only to their next bonus.Innovation has been stifled through fear of making an incorrect decision and being shown the front door.
There is no loyalty and it shows at the Qantas/Customer interface.
Jet* is what mainline will eventually become.The Qantas customer base will decline further.Other better run airlines who have included their employees in the journey will ultimately fill the void.
Qantas will become an oxidised plaque on an building somewhere in Mascot
To manage change successfully there is a need to communicate effectively with employees.This has not been done at Qantas in particular.
Employees have been crushed and have been expected to perform above and beyond while being treated with contempt.
"The floggings will continue until morale improves"
There is lip service paid to "our people are greatest asset".
Middle and senior management commit only to their next bonus.Innovation has been stifled through fear of making an incorrect decision and being shown the front door.
There is no loyalty and it shows at the Qantas/Customer interface.
Jet* is what mainline will eventually become.The Qantas customer base will decline further.Other better run airlines who have included their employees in the journey will ultimately fill the void.
Qantas will become an oxidised plaque on an building somewhere in Mascot
Even if you discount 90% of what disgruntled employees claim, you'd still have to be concerned about some of the underlying issues. And those issues will eventually impact negatively with shareholders and customers alike. If I were QF management, I would be concerned about letters like the one below from a long-time, frequent traveler (published online last year) -
Dear Qantas: Ideas from a fed-up traveller
Adam Jacoby writes:
To the esteemed leaders of our national carrier: some ideas from a regular, weary (and fed up) traveller...
Adam Jacoby writes:
To the esteemed leaders of our national carrier: some ideas from a regular, weary (and fed up) traveller...
- Stop calling yourself "Australia’s business airline" until you can get business people to their meetings on time. As a weekly (minimum) flyer my experience has been poor at best and utterly miserable most of the time.
Of my past ten Qantas flights in 2007, only one has left at the scheduled time, two have been cancelled and three have been more than 90 minutes late. It has reached a point where ground staff appear unsurprised by delays, they are par for the course, almost fully expected.
I now approach the airport in the same way I might approach the casino... will I get lucky today? Will the flight leave on time? Will I get home before my son is in bed? Or will I emerge with my head in my hands, bitter, poorer for the experience, vowing never to return? - Stop spending money on peripheral "fluffiness" and start investing in quality assets that deliver your core service better. We don’t care about fancy lounges and new logos. We want efficiency, reliability and courteous service.
Last month when my flight was delayed more than 90 minutes because all aircraft in Melbourne had ice in their wings, I was told to be appreciative that Melbourne had its single "de-icing machine" and that this problem was rare?
RARE? It is called winter, it comes around every year and chances are that ice on wings will re-occur – do not be surprised by this. This should be part of your planning and scheduling. MORE DE-ICING MACHINES PLEASE! - Repay our loyalty by assuming some accountability. Just as the public transport carriers are penalized in a manner directly proportionate to their failure to meet schedules or customer satisfaction, so too should Qantas be held to the same standard.
I proposed a system where Qantas refunds 10% of the ticket price for every 15 minutes a flight is delayed... I will send you my bill for $8,457 shortly. - Stop calling them reward points until I can reward myself by booking the flight I want to the destination I want, at the time of my choice. You may as well call them crap shoot points, where customers roll up with their frequent flyer points and see what holiday they can take in 2011...
- Please refrain from advertising "Flights to Sydney every 30 minutes" until the flight leaving in 30 minutes was the flight actually scheduled to leave at that time. I’m sure aircraft are leaving for Sydney at 8:00, 8:30 and 9:00am; however the passengers were likely scheduled on the 6:00, 6:30 and 7:00 flights.
- Introduce a "Qantas Business Inefficiency Index". This new business tool can measure the number of hours and financial costs caused by Qantas which has negatively affected Australian business efficiency by flight delays, rescheduled meetings, hampered commercial activity, etc. This index can sit next to its sister index, the "Qantas Family Inefficiency Index" where we can measure the number of minutes and hours that Australian travellers are away from their families longer than scheduled due to your delays...
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unfortunatly
that is the truth. add the international delays, ife failures and many other issues and you have the current GD model of an aussie LCC trying to sell itself as a premium carrier. posts from the likes of mmmbop only confirm that management keeps defending the indefensible. just wasting more money at covering up all the issues.
Nothing at Qantas will change until the Board changes. What is required is called "business transformation' and the type of leader that does it will not work for the current Board because his (her) hands will be tied by the Board on too many levels.
....starting with it's "Sydney-centric" focus
....starting with it's "Sydney-centric" focus
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Business Transformation?
Will never happen.
Why?
Because too many senior execs have their nose in the trough.
Qantas is not run for the travelling public.
Its run to line the pockets of the upper echelon of management.
Dixon was quite happy to contemplate pocketing $60 million from the failed Allco buyout.
Business management 101...never run a business based on bonuses.
It breeds a poor management culture..eg QF
Dont anyone carp on about profit.A lot of that is down to pure good fortune.
Once more capacity comes on line yield will decline and so will profit.
The share price will be back to $3.20 by the end of this financial year.
The market will eventually rebound...QF shares wont.
Qantas ...aka..Animal Farm Airlines...management is more equal than everyone else including the customer
Why?
Because too many senior execs have their nose in the trough.
Qantas is not run for the travelling public.
Its run to line the pockets of the upper echelon of management.
Dixon was quite happy to contemplate pocketing $60 million from the failed Allco buyout.
Business management 101...never run a business based on bonuses.
It breeds a poor management culture..eg QF
Dont anyone carp on about profit.A lot of that is down to pure good fortune.
Once more capacity comes on line yield will decline and so will profit.
The share price will be back to $3.20 by the end of this financial year.
The market will eventually rebound...QF shares wont.
Qantas ...aka..Animal Farm Airlines...management is more equal than everyone else including the customer
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I seem to remember a certain Cabin Crew Manager who liked the football and who had a penchant for curries and was asked once about the problem with low morale within the company specifically cabin Crew.
This manager(sic) then replied that they did not see the need for morale and therefore there was no problem.....
Fixes everything doesn't it....deny there is a problem and you don't have any problems to fix.
Denial.....A river in Egypt
This manager(sic) then replied that they did not see the need for morale and therefore there was no problem.....
Fixes everything doesn't it....deny there is a problem and you don't have any problems to fix.
Denial.....A river in Egypt