MERGED: Alan's still not happy......
Thank you to the VJ guys that have posted. Im sure a lot of us QF guys appreciate it. There was a time when Qf was 'the best' and it was a wonderful thing to be part of. Those days are clearly gone through no fault of the people who do the work. You get your acceptance letter and you take your chances I guess. I am both supportive and envious (if not incredulous) at your success. Everyone at Qf wishes you well and thanks you for your support. John Borghetti is not a Messiah, but if you ever get sick of him, feel free to give him back!
Thread Starter
Why did you lock out the pilots and refuse pay concessions and then give them a 3% pay rise? How is that acting in the shareholders best interest? How could the lockout be considered in anyway successful after this?
Might have to get Barry Jackson to appear on the record for this to have any punch.
Might have to get Barry Jackson to appear on the record for this to have any punch.
Is any revenue created by and due to Qantas being used to fund Jetstar to make it look more profitable than it really is?
Qantas was supposed to be doing fine in mid-October. Then, in early December, it was in awful trouble. Now it's apparently doing fine again. Q. Why should we believe anything this management tells us?
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SFO
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Qantas's Future?
Competing as an international carrier, is Qantas doomed to failure principally due to its labour costs?
It is clear that the CEO isn't very popular on this forum right now. I imagine some people might suggest that if Qantas is failing or even doomed, that the CEO is the principal reason.
Maybe so. That aside, two years ago, a PPrune member pointed towards labor costs a big issue, even though at the time the focus of the posting was on the high AUD:
http://www.pprune.org/australia-new-...about-aud.html
The AUD has dropped since then, but the average employee cost of Qantas is still significantly higher than its international rivals.
How can Qantas compete in this situation? With the knowledge that your airline's labour costs were significantly higher than that of your rivals, if you had the power to make changes, what would you do?
I read a lot of criticism in PPrune on how the airline is being run today, but most people would agree that running an airline is a tough job at the best of times. Qantas's situation is serious. What do PPruners suggest and how will this offset a fundamental labour cost problem?
It is clear that the CEO isn't very popular on this forum right now. I imagine some people might suggest that if Qantas is failing or even doomed, that the CEO is the principal reason.
Maybe so. That aside, two years ago, a PPrune member pointed towards labor costs a big issue, even though at the time the focus of the posting was on the high AUD:
http://www.pprune.org/australia-new-...about-aud.html
The AUD has dropped since then, but the average employee cost of Qantas is still significantly higher than its international rivals.
How can Qantas compete in this situation? With the knowledge that your airline's labour costs were significantly higher than that of your rivals, if you had the power to make changes, what would you do?
I read a lot of criticism in PPrune on how the airline is being run today, but most people would agree that running an airline is a tough job at the best of times. Qantas's situation is serious. What do PPruners suggest and how will this offset a fundamental labour cost problem?
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bexley
Posts: 1,792
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Terms of reference can be found here but remember the rules around what can be asked are not that strict. The "any related matter" covers all bases.
Terms of Reference ? Parliament of Australia
On 6 March 2014, the Senate moved that the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 27 March 2014.
Terms of Reference ? Parliament of Australia
On 6 March 2014, the Senate moved that the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 27 March 2014.
- The Committee must consider what initiatives can be taken by Government to ensure Qantas remains a strong national carrier supporting aviation jobs in Australia, including:
- a debt guarantee;
- an equity stake; and
- other forms of support consistent with wider policy settings.
- That, in conducting the inquiry, the committee should consider:
- any national security, skills, marketing, tourism, emergency assistance or other benefits provided by a majority Australian-owned Qantas;
- the level and forms of government support received by other international airlines operating to and from Australia;
- the ownership structures of other international airlines operating to and from Australia;
- the potential impact on Australian jobs arising from the Government's plan to repeal Part 3 of the Qantas Sale Act 1992; and
- any related matter.
1. The cross subsidisation of costs from Jetstar applied to Qantas, how much and what they are.
2. The total costs of the current ventures into Asia, including failed attempts such as RedQ.
3. The actual profits that have been transferred back into the Qantas Group from the Asian Ventures.
4. What proof they have that shows due dilligence was done in this "Asian Assault" and do they have any current analysis that shows when the "Non-profitable" parts of the Asian Experiment are expected to become "Profitable".
5. A public showing of just who is making money off the Aircraft that they Lease as I believe there is a lot of dodgy backroom deals going on there to the advantage of previous management.
6. Not even a question but asking how they can justify the shares dropping over the last decade during their watch from over $5 to just over $1, as a matter of getting this often overlooked fact in the general public from their mouths.
7. Can someone ask them to finally define what "Worlds best practice" actually is? They keep spouting that damned line but no one really has any idea what this actually means!!
8. Dig up a bunch of contracts they have willingly let go/cancelled in terms of Maintenance done for other Organisations (Eg, Air Vanuatu) and other parts, such as the Baggage Handlers that someone else mentioned.
9. The cost of operating the "Chairmans Lounge" program.
10. The current "Benefits" they have derived from this Emirates Partnership.
11. I would also suggest going through the last decade or so of dropped routes, I believe there are about 25 of them for Qantas, investigating the load factors and pricing on those routes and also what other competitors have done after Qantas pulled out and asking:
A. How many of them were then given to Jetstar
B. How their competitors on quite a few of those routes have increased flights and seem to be making money
C. How the yields look after Jetstar took over a gifted route and a comparison of prices being charged for tickets between the 2
12. The Justification of limiting Pilots transferring between Jetstar and Qantas which could have allowed for many of the Pilots to be utilised more efficiently, this would be a way of highlighting one of the main reasons they are expanding Jetstar so much at the detriment of Qantas.
13. The costs of the various Aircraft they have around the world that are currently parked up and what the reason is for them sitting doing nothing when as they have said themselves "Their aircraft are most efficient when they are flying".
14. Of course bring out the offers that were made prior to the lockout that would have resulted in an agreement between the Unions and Qantas and completely removed the need for Alan to suddenly wake up and decide to screw the company and how they would have been no different to the arbitrated decisions.
15. Can they be asked to give an actual cost for the employees for the Qantas Group? There's a lot of rumours, hearsay etc... about it and how big a percentage it really is, they have mentioned it a few times themselves and indicated it is part of the problem so they should be required to finally substantiate the rumours they spread themselves. Even by simply stalling on the EBA negotiations and not even offering basic wage increases (As I've been led to believe occurred) shows that they think the wages are too high so should be enough reason to compel them to reveal ACTUAL figures.
16. The cost so far of splitting the AOC into 2, and how if this is such a brilliant idea that would be in the best interests of the company, how they can justify halting the process instead of completing it as soon as possible to begin realising any potential efficiencies and subsequent profits.
17. Declaring on Public record just how much the current Foreign Investment levels are, how much more they can obtain with the current QSA and how much this equates to in monetary figures, not just a percentage and why they haven't been able to reach those current levels if the business is worth it. Could reveal the true nature of their reasons for trying to get rid of the QSA.
I'm sure others will have a lot more questions to suggest, but those are certainly the ones I'd be curious to hear some answers to!
2. The total costs of the current ventures into Asia, including failed attempts such as RedQ.
3. The actual profits that have been transferred back into the Qantas Group from the Asian Ventures.
4. What proof they have that shows due dilligence was done in this "Asian Assault" and do they have any current analysis that shows when the "Non-profitable" parts of the Asian Experiment are expected to become "Profitable".
5. A public showing of just who is making money off the Aircraft that they Lease as I believe there is a lot of dodgy backroom deals going on there to the advantage of previous management.
6. Not even a question but asking how they can justify the shares dropping over the last decade during their watch from over $5 to just over $1, as a matter of getting this often overlooked fact in the general public from their mouths.
7. Can someone ask them to finally define what "Worlds best practice" actually is? They keep spouting that damned line but no one really has any idea what this actually means!!
8. Dig up a bunch of contracts they have willingly let go/cancelled in terms of Maintenance done for other Organisations (Eg, Air Vanuatu) and other parts, such as the Baggage Handlers that someone else mentioned.
9. The cost of operating the "Chairmans Lounge" program.
10. The current "Benefits" they have derived from this Emirates Partnership.
11. I would also suggest going through the last decade or so of dropped routes, I believe there are about 25 of them for Qantas, investigating the load factors and pricing on those routes and also what other competitors have done after Qantas pulled out and asking:
A. How many of them were then given to Jetstar
B. How their competitors on quite a few of those routes have increased flights and seem to be making money
C. How the yields look after Jetstar took over a gifted route and a comparison of prices being charged for tickets between the 2
12. The Justification of limiting Pilots transferring between Jetstar and Qantas which could have allowed for many of the Pilots to be utilised more efficiently, this would be a way of highlighting one of the main reasons they are expanding Jetstar so much at the detriment of Qantas.
13. The costs of the various Aircraft they have around the world that are currently parked up and what the reason is for them sitting doing nothing when as they have said themselves "Their aircraft are most efficient when they are flying".
14. Of course bring out the offers that were made prior to the lockout that would have resulted in an agreement between the Unions and Qantas and completely removed the need for Alan to suddenly wake up and decide to screw the company and how they would have been no different to the arbitrated decisions.
15. Can they be asked to give an actual cost for the employees for the Qantas Group? There's a lot of rumours, hearsay etc... about it and how big a percentage it really is, they have mentioned it a few times themselves and indicated it is part of the problem so they should be required to finally substantiate the rumours they spread themselves. Even by simply stalling on the EBA negotiations and not even offering basic wage increases (As I've been led to believe occurred) shows that they think the wages are too high so should be enough reason to compel them to reveal ACTUAL figures.
16. The cost so far of splitting the AOC into 2, and how if this is such a brilliant idea that would be in the best interests of the company, how they can justify halting the process instead of completing it as soon as possible to begin realising any potential efficiencies and subsequent profits.
17. Declaring on Public record just how much the current Foreign Investment levels are, how much more they can obtain with the current QSA and how much this equates to in monetary figures, not just a percentage and why they haven't been able to reach those current levels if the business is worth it. Could reveal the true nature of their reasons for trying to get rid of the QSA.
I'm sure others will have a lot more questions to suggest, but those are certainly the ones I'd be curious to hear some answers to!
These people are slippery buggers and any question has to be very carefully worded. For example, if you ask "Is Qantas subsidising Jetstar", it may well be that the practice has now ceased, or is on hold for the duration of the inquiry, so that they can honestly say "no". A few you could try:
Is it true that in ports such HNL where both QF and JQ operate, normal billing practices were manipulated (e.g. daily invoicing rather than weekly), so that major JQ charges were paid by QF?
Where a JQ aircraft went U/S and was replaced by a QF aircraft and crew (as frequently happened on the HNL-SYD route), to what extent was QF reimbursed?
Is it true that at the Hangar 96 Black Tie celebrity party in April 2013, some domestic bays were summarily closed to minimise aircraft noise, leaving a couple of aircraft and hundreds of passengers stranded on the tarmac with engines running for up to 45 minutes?
Yeah, I know this last one is no doubt well outside the terms of reference, but I'd love to see it answered publicly. For me it epitomises everything that's wrong with QF, where stunts, spin, and celebrity schmoozing are more important than just running an airline properly. The attitude of this mob is not unlike the French aristocracy ca. 1788 (and I wouldn't mind them being dealt with similarly ).
Is it true that in ports such HNL where both QF and JQ operate, normal billing practices were manipulated (e.g. daily invoicing rather than weekly), so that major JQ charges were paid by QF?
Where a JQ aircraft went U/S and was replaced by a QF aircraft and crew (as frequently happened on the HNL-SYD route), to what extent was QF reimbursed?
Is it true that at the Hangar 96 Black Tie celebrity party in April 2013, some domestic bays were summarily closed to minimise aircraft noise, leaving a couple of aircraft and hundreds of passengers stranded on the tarmac with engines running for up to 45 minutes?
Yeah, I know this last one is no doubt well outside the terms of reference, but I'd love to see it answered publicly. For me it epitomises everything that's wrong with QF, where stunts, spin, and celebrity schmoozing are more important than just running an airline properly. The attitude of this mob is not unlike the French aristocracy ca. 1788 (and I wouldn't mind them being dealt with similarly ).
Oh, and another one. For QF Int to have any chance of competing and surviving, it needs large efficient twins such as B777 or B787-9, so how can the policy of 'not investing any more in it until it becomes more profitable' make any sense? (Isn't this like the British government telling the RAF in 1939 that they can't have any Hurricanes or Spitfires until they start shooting down more Me-109s with their Gloster Gladiators and Hawker Harts?) And why does the same policy clearly not apply to any of Jetstar's Asian ventures?
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Question:
Qantas report the Groups fleet age. Qantas also reports they have invested heavily in a fleet renewal program.
Can you please provide a fleet average age to indicate the degree of investment afforded to the individual business units.
As such. What is the average fleet age for:
Qantas Mainline International
Qantas Mainline Domestic
Jetstar Domestic
Jetstar International
Jetconnect
Jetstar NZ
Jetstar Asia
Jetstar Japan
MC.
Qantas report the Groups fleet age. Qantas also reports they have invested heavily in a fleet renewal program.
Can you please provide a fleet average age to indicate the degree of investment afforded to the individual business units.
As such. What is the average fleet age for:
Qantas Mainline International
Qantas Mainline Domestic
Jetstar Domestic
Jetstar International
Jetconnect
Jetstar NZ
Jetstar Asia
Jetstar Japan
MC.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Question:
Qantas has used assigned leave for pilots as a mechanism of reducing the "annual & long service leave" off the books.
Forcing pilots to take assigned leave reduces the operational efficiency of that crew member.
Could you please provide a break down of how much assigned leave has been taken from the period 1st July 2009 till present.
As part of that breakdown, provide:
1. The aircraft types
2. The crew members ranks
3. The total amount of days for each type and rank per year
4. The remuneration cost of assigning the leave.
Also.
Qantas has declared a pilot surplus since 2009.
Provide the amount of the current surplus and the amount of surplus for each year since 2009. Also provide the surplus after also providing for pilots on leave of absence to other non Qantas business units.
Provide the number of new pilots recruited by any of the Qantas Group airlines from 1st July 2009. In addition to providing how many pilots were recruited. Advise which business unit they were recruited to.
MC
Qantas has used assigned leave for pilots as a mechanism of reducing the "annual & long service leave" off the books.
Forcing pilots to take assigned leave reduces the operational efficiency of that crew member.
Could you please provide a break down of how much assigned leave has been taken from the period 1st July 2009 till present.
As part of that breakdown, provide:
1. The aircraft types
2. The crew members ranks
3. The total amount of days for each type and rank per year
4. The remuneration cost of assigning the leave.
Also.
Qantas has declared a pilot surplus since 2009.
Provide the amount of the current surplus and the amount of surplus for each year since 2009. Also provide the surplus after also providing for pilots on leave of absence to other non Qantas business units.
Provide the number of new pilots recruited by any of the Qantas Group airlines from 1st July 2009. In addition to providing how many pilots were recruited. Advise which business unit they were recruited to.
MC
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Various
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The very first thing should be a full forensic account of qantas and all (127?) companies it owns or part owns. Without this the enquiry is operating without all the info it needs to make informed recommendations.
It would need to be carefully structured to ensure independence and thoroughness. Good luck with that.
It would need to be carefully structured to ensure independence and thoroughness. Good luck with that.
What is Qantas' core business?
- Alan keeps referring to 'Core Business' but I don't think he knows what he (or his employees) is/are supposed to be focussing on.
What safeguards are in place to ensure our EK gifted routes will continue to provide revenue for QF and not just be engulfed?
- almost guaranteed to occur.
If Jet* is split from QF, what happens to the 'gifted' routes/terminals etc that QF got nothing for?
There will be more...
I would like some guarantee that the excellent questions that are asked will actually be answered. I got the impression the Senate enquiry got no real answers. The questions were there, the answers sadly lacking.
- Alan keeps referring to 'Core Business' but I don't think he knows what he (or his employees) is/are supposed to be focussing on.
What safeguards are in place to ensure our EK gifted routes will continue to provide revenue for QF and not just be engulfed?
- almost guaranteed to occur.
If Jet* is split from QF, what happens to the 'gifted' routes/terminals etc that QF got nothing for?
There will be more...
I would like some guarantee that the excellent questions that are asked will actually be answered. I got the impression the Senate enquiry got no real answers. The questions were there, the answers sadly lacking.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Question:
Qantas has refuted claims QF has subsidised Jetstar Operations.
Provide the number of pilots that have transferred from Qantas to Jetstar under the MOU that have had the A320 endorsement training paid for by Qantas.
Provide a cost amount associated with that endorsement training.
JQ benefitted from Qantas paying for those endorsement costs. Did JQ reimburse QF for those costs?
MC.
Qantas has refuted claims QF has subsidised Jetstar Operations.
Provide the number of pilots that have transferred from Qantas to Jetstar under the MOU that have had the A320 endorsement training paid for by Qantas.
Provide a cost amount associated with that endorsement training.
JQ benefitted from Qantas paying for those endorsement costs. Did JQ reimburse QF for those costs?
MC.
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: London-Thailand-Australia
Age: 15
Posts: 1,057
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh, and another one. For QF Int to have any chance of competing and surviving, it needs large efficient twins such as B777 or B787-9, so how can the policy of 'not investing any more in it until it becomes more profitable' make any sense?
Clifford needs to be called in for the inquiry to explain the above, and why he has the dogged support of this board... when you see the figures below, says they are out of their depth, lost the plot to put it nicely..
Basically the chairman was saying, ''Give us more time, we need a fair go and a level playing field.''
As my good friend David Leckie would say, ''Well, hello.''
After more than 40 years in business here and elsewhere, I can tell Mr Clifford that there is no such thing. And even if there was, the wind only ever blows from one end.
Business is a rough old place and only the good ones make it.
Read more: Qantas must learn to navigate rough weather
As my good friend David Leckie would say, ''Well, hello.''
After more than 40 years in business here and elsewhere, I can tell Mr Clifford that there is no such thing. And even if there was, the wind only ever blows from one end.
Business is a rough old place and only the good ones make it.
Read more: Qantas must learn to navigate rough weather
As we go into another new week I suspect more and more doubt will surface about the leadership issues at Q from people in similar positions as Mr Mitchell.
He finishes his piece with this blunt message..
In the seven years between 2002 and 2008, my mates Dixon and co made a cumulative profit for Qantas shareholders of $4.350 billion.
Louise chimes in, ''So Leigh Clifford is saying they need more time. How did his lot do?'' Well, the cumulative profit for the 5˝ years to December 2013 is about $20 million. ''That's ridiculous,'' says Louise, ''they don't need more time.'' ''Quite right'', Charlie says, ''time's up.'' Leigh Clifford needs to toughen up.
Louise chimes in, ''So Leigh Clifford is saying they need more time. How did his lot do?'' Well, the cumulative profit for the 5˝ years to December 2013 is about $20 million. ''That's ridiculous,'' says Louise, ''they don't need more time.'' ''Quite right'', Charlie says, ''time's up.'' Leigh Clifford needs to toughen up.
Double speak for "go away" Mr Clifford and take the failed strategy makers with you...
I feel for all the staff who have to watch this unfold day in day out for the last 6 yrs... and how slow the Australian business press have been to pick up on this simple point.. from here on I think that will change, better late than never I guess...
Last edited by TIMA9X; 9th Mar 2014 at 03:35. Reason: add pic
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: in the classroom of life
Age: 55
Posts: 6,864
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Have a look at the stats in business trends half way down the page. Revenue unchanged, staff unchanged, Passengers up 25%, Fleet up 50% (OK might be lots of small ones), Loadings only slightly different.
I think they should be able to work it out from here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qantas
I think they should be able to work it out from here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qantas