Qantas~Project Marlin
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Qantas~Project Marlin
QANTAS has moved to allay union fears that Project Marlin, the carrier's biggest and most complex engineering IT project, would result in retrenchments.
The airline hopes the new system can vastly reduce maintenance and repair costs, which chief executive Alan Joyce described as among the least efficient and most expensive in the world. But the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers' Association claims that such cost savings could be a sign of looming job cuts.
Gary Norris, ALAEA senior industrial officer, said the union did not know the system was going live and had to find out from Mr Joyce's speech announcing the July 22 start date at a conference last Wednesday.
Mr Norris said ALAEA immediately wrote to Qantas to question the implications of the technology for staff and to seek assurances for workers. He said Qantas replied to say there would be no change to staffing without further explanation.
"Whenever new technology is introduced, unless the business expands so greatly, one of the usual ways to achieve cost efficiencies is though job cuts," Mr Norris told The Australian.
He said Qantas management should refine its communication processes with staff.
Employees have been scarred in the past. When he announced Project Marlin three years ago, then Qantas chief financial officer Peter Gregg said the project required no input from engineers.
said"We wouldn't ask the engineers what their view on our software systems were. We'll put in what we think is the appropriate for us," Mr Gregg .
A Qantas spokesman yesterday confirmed there would "be no job losses as a result of Project Marlin going live".
He rejected ALAEA's claims that its members were kept in the dark. "We have had extensive communication with all Qantas staff about the project so we reject the union's claims that there has not been communication on this."
He could not provide details on many aspects of Project Marlin, including its cost to date and productivity gains.
Project Marlin was meant to go live at the end of 2008 in line with the delivery of the first A380 superjumbo at Qantas. It was delayed when Qantas realised it had too much on its plate. But the first phase of the project has now been completed.
Companies including IBM and Tata Consultancy Services are working on the multi-year, multi-million dollar Project Marlin.
The airline has for years struggled to overhaul its engineering, technical operations and maintenance services system after being forced to scrap the troubled Jetsmart platform.
Jetsmart went live in 2005 but soon became subject to industrial action when ALAEA urged members not to use the system, which was so difficult to use, members nicknamed it "Dumbjet", as it involved an increase in workload and accounting responsibility.
In 2008, Qantas capitulated and cancelled Jetsmart at a cost of $40 million, replacing it with Project Marlin, which is based on Maintenix software by aviation maintenance management specialist Mxi.
In his speech at the conference, Mr Joyce admitted that the complicated project took longer and cost more than initially envisaged but that the company made no excuses for taking its time.
"Project Marlin cost more than we wanted and took longer than we liked. But this is the largest and most complex IT project Qantas Engineering has ever implemented, and we were always going to make sure we got it exactly right," Mr Joyce told participants. He said with Project Marlin, Qantas maintenance staff would have a complete view of its aircraft -- information that can even be accessed from mobile devices such as Apple iPads.
"Project Marlin means that we can look at a sophisticated database and get an instant update on the maintenance past, present and future of any one of our aircraft, anywhere in the world," Mr Joyce said.
"It means our engineers can use mobile devices like laptops and iPads while they work on aircraft to obtain maintenance instructions, locate and order spare parts, and certify their work."
He said Project Marlin would start with the A380 fleet and be rolled out progressively.
Mr Joyce said Project Marlin was the biggest improvement "in our maintenance systems since record-keeping began". "It is all about work that is safer, smarter and simpler and compliant with global standards of excellence."
Greggs Comments regarding exclusion of engineers from the process is indicative of QF Management attitude toward its staff.
Indifferent arrogance
The airline hopes the new system can vastly reduce maintenance and repair costs, which chief executive Alan Joyce described as among the least efficient and most expensive in the world. But the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers' Association claims that such cost savings could be a sign of looming job cuts.
Gary Norris, ALAEA senior industrial officer, said the union did not know the system was going live and had to find out from Mr Joyce's speech announcing the July 22 start date at a conference last Wednesday.
Mr Norris said ALAEA immediately wrote to Qantas to question the implications of the technology for staff and to seek assurances for workers. He said Qantas replied to say there would be no change to staffing without further explanation.
"Whenever new technology is introduced, unless the business expands so greatly, one of the usual ways to achieve cost efficiencies is though job cuts," Mr Norris told The Australian.
He said Qantas management should refine its communication processes with staff.
Employees have been scarred in the past. When he announced Project Marlin three years ago, then Qantas chief financial officer Peter Gregg said the project required no input from engineers.
said"We wouldn't ask the engineers what their view on our software systems were. We'll put in what we think is the appropriate for us," Mr Gregg .
A Qantas spokesman yesterday confirmed there would "be no job losses as a result of Project Marlin going live".
He rejected ALAEA's claims that its members were kept in the dark. "We have had extensive communication with all Qantas staff about the project so we reject the union's claims that there has not been communication on this."
He could not provide details on many aspects of Project Marlin, including its cost to date and productivity gains.
Project Marlin was meant to go live at the end of 2008 in line with the delivery of the first A380 superjumbo at Qantas. It was delayed when Qantas realised it had too much on its plate. But the first phase of the project has now been completed.
Companies including IBM and Tata Consultancy Services are working on the multi-year, multi-million dollar Project Marlin.
The airline has for years struggled to overhaul its engineering, technical operations and maintenance services system after being forced to scrap the troubled Jetsmart platform.
Jetsmart went live in 2005 but soon became subject to industrial action when ALAEA urged members not to use the system, which was so difficult to use, members nicknamed it "Dumbjet", as it involved an increase in workload and accounting responsibility.
In 2008, Qantas capitulated and cancelled Jetsmart at a cost of $40 million, replacing it with Project Marlin, which is based on Maintenix software by aviation maintenance management specialist Mxi.
In his speech at the conference, Mr Joyce admitted that the complicated project took longer and cost more than initially envisaged but that the company made no excuses for taking its time.
"Project Marlin cost more than we wanted and took longer than we liked. But this is the largest and most complex IT project Qantas Engineering has ever implemented, and we were always going to make sure we got it exactly right," Mr Joyce told participants. He said with Project Marlin, Qantas maintenance staff would have a complete view of its aircraft -- information that can even be accessed from mobile devices such as Apple iPads.
"Project Marlin means that we can look at a sophisticated database and get an instant update on the maintenance past, present and future of any one of our aircraft, anywhere in the world," Mr Joyce said.
"It means our engineers can use mobile devices like laptops and iPads while they work on aircraft to obtain maintenance instructions, locate and order spare parts, and certify their work."
He said Project Marlin would start with the A380 fleet and be rolled out progressively.
Mr Joyce said Project Marlin was the biggest improvement "in our maintenance systems since record-keeping began". "It is all about work that is safer, smarter and simpler and compliant with global standards of excellence."
Greggs Comments regarding exclusion of engineers from the process is indicative of QF Management attitude toward its staff.
Indifferent arrogance
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Project "mullet" will require more LAMEs to operate and certify so aircraft can actually depart on time (RTS complete on-line) than those fools think. Just another waste of MILLIONS & MILLIONS of investors dollars $$$$$, profits. dividends. 
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Just another thing that QF Management seems to have used QANTAS resources and funds as a Research and Development vehicle so that it can later 'gift' the system to QANTASIA!!
I am sure it will all become a little bit clearer post Doomsday (24th August2011)
More to Follow
The Kelpie
I am sure it will all become a little bit clearer post Doomsday (24th August2011)
More to Follow
The Kelpie
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"We wouldn't ask the engineers what their view on our software systems were. We'll put in what we think is the appropriate for us," Mr Gregg .
Doesn't this mentality by management raise the eyebrows of those of us looking on ?
Safety, not the bottom line, is meant to be the foundation and very core of running a safe operation. The above mentioned management comments flies directly in the face of a 'safety first' focus, and the level of arrogance, unwillingness to consult internally with affected parties and the absolute prioitising of profit above safety should be sounding many alarm bells...Oh, hang on, those alarm bells have been ringing for some time now !
On a lighter note, project Marlin (ironic as the fish does start rotting at the head) may end up as successful as 'I Roster' !
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We wouldn't ask the engineers what their view on our software systems were. We'll put in what we think is the appropriate for us," Mr Gregg
I am astounded that anyone who claims to be a competent manager would even consider putting this in print, let alone managing this way. Surely the very people who are to use the system on a daily basis are the ones who should have the most input into a new system. Hopeless and frightening.
I am astounded that anyone who claims to be a competent manager would even consider putting this in print, let alone managing this way. Surely the very people who are to use the system on a daily basis are the ones who should have the most input into a new system. Hopeless and frightening.
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Us and Them
This managment attitude (amongst other things) is an apalling way to manage people.
Scrotum Face ,Gregg and their coterie ran Qantas on the basis of the divine right to manage.If an idea didn't emanate from Exco it could not possibly be a good idea.Yet when viewing the educational qualifications of these people it becomes obvious how under qualified the Qantas managment team is.
It has been said elsewhere but worth repeating.The situation is a perfect example of the Peter Principal where individuals eventually rise to their own level of incompetence.Gregg's first name is perhaps an indication of the origins of this principal
Scrotum Face ,Gregg and their coterie ran Qantas on the basis of the divine right to manage.If an idea didn't emanate from Exco it could not possibly be a good idea.Yet when viewing the educational qualifications of these people it becomes obvious how under qualified the Qantas managment team is.
It has been said elsewhere but worth repeating.The situation is a perfect example of the Peter Principal where individuals eventually rise to their own level of incompetence.Gregg's first name is perhaps an indication of the origins of this principal
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"Project Marlin means that we can look at a sophisticated database and get an instant update on the maintenance past, present and future of any one of our aircraft, anywhere in the world," Mr Joyce said.
...........except when the a/c or parts go near RR or other outsourced maintenance contractors where at that point the software automatically shuts down ......otherwise we can't use the "we did not know excuse"....
.
Maybe someone had better give them the tip: "...consistency in corp comms is a really good idea."
AT
oh ....how does it go with re-birthed ex-NZ 737's you might ask.........'sorry files not found???!!'
...........except when the a/c or parts go near RR or other outsourced maintenance contractors where at that point the software automatically shuts down ......otherwise we can't use the "we did not know excuse"....
.
Maybe someone had better give them the tip: "...consistency in corp comms is a really good idea."
AT
oh ....how does it go with re-birthed ex-NZ 737's you might ask.........'sorry files not found???!!'
