First Canberra, now Hobart

[Wedcue]

You got to feel for anyone at Qantas Mainline right now.

Qantas changes to Hobart services get mixed reviews | Plane Talking

First Canberra was lost to these 717's, now they are taking Hobart. What destination will they take next?

[Afterburner1]

This is old news. Cobham are also opening a Sydney base.

[AEROMEDIC]

I am flying to HKG at Easter and wondered why the leg from Hobart was Qantaslink using DHC-8-400 instead of a 737. The return leg is on a 717.
As I booked last July, this means that this plan was hatched prior to this and represents only part of Joyce's "grand strategy" now unfolding.

So, what's next?

[Angle of Attack]

Next will be Townsville, Mt Isa, Cairns, Alice Springs. Thats from a reliable source....Why? no Idea the 717 is vastly inferior to the Virgin Embraer, No fing idea this QF management, they are only looking at the maths.... Oh yeah the gnome is a maths graduate, enough said... QF is like a deer with no eyes..... No Idea...

[Jabawocky]

QF are not on my preferred list, but the B717 is a pretty useful weapon for some routes.

[wf747]

I thought the 717s already service Cairns and Alice?

[R.Cruizo]

Wow, those 717's I've seen operating in& out of Cairns & Alice over the last 7 years must have been my imagination ! Not to mention the raging success of the Virgin E170 .

[Blitzkrieger]

I don't normally disagree with Ben, but then again, he doesn't normally get his facts so out of whack either.

I just hope he is man enough to make a retraction when he is proven to be wrong.

[Angle of Attack]

Of course the Valujets/ I mean Cobham jets have been operating out of Alice and Cairns, im just saying a total takeover will soon happen, but with a ****ty old fleet of 717's something has to give. There aint many more 717's around so a new type is about to be announced, and it will be given to the lowest bidder, Cobhams expansion will be a butterfly shadowing their demise. Sad but true...

[Oldmate]

Does this have anything to do with 'operational spare' aircraft, and a very old rumour?

[RENURPP]

the 717 is vastly inferior to the Virgin Embraer

really, lets hear how you came up with that one.

[cloudsurfng]

good to see even the pollies and the media are finally kicking off about the use of contract workers too.

“No wonder Qantas is in trouble financially. It’s effectively abandoning destinations, axing staff and patching it up with subcontractors,’’ he said.
“When people fly Qantas they expect just that, not a succession of subcontractors.’’

"QantasLink is a regional airline, operating small aircraft with sub-contractors; they are not even Qantas employees," he said. "Where else in Australia are they going to pull out Qantas aircraft and replace them with QantasLink run by contractors?"

MP Andrew Wilkie

Wasn't there some kind of a 'Qantas flight, Qantas pilot' thingy going on a few years ago??

Hobart can be a challenging airport at times....more "wrinkled" 717's on the way!!




I can't see why Ben needs to print a retraction, having used Cutejet on numerous occasions in WA, I can't believe Q put their brand on such a crappy operation.

[Boe787]

Wedcue,

This is not the first time that 717s have operated to Hobart under the Qantas Link Banner, they did so some time back after Qantas bought Impulse and their 717s, and they were rebranded as Qantas Link.
I think most of those 717s are now flown by Cobham in the West?

[Capt Claret]

I think most of those 717s are now flown by Cobham in the West?

And the East, through The Centre, and Up North.

• BNE CNS GLT ROK MKY
• ASP AYQ
• DRW GOV

[travelator]

NJS/Cobham have been flying jets on all of these routes in some form or another for nearly 25 years. Before QANTAS domestic existed, before sunstate/eastern were bought by QANTAS. This is not new.

[RENURPP]

NJS/Cobham have been flying jets on all of these routes in some form or another for nearly 25 years. Before QANTAS domestic existed, before sunstate/eastern were bought by QANTAS. This is not new.

Don't spoil the story with facts.

I would be interested to hear how long the majority of these people complaining have been employed in the QF group, if they are there at all,
and secondly if QF purchased the QFlink side of Cobham (they could not afford the complete company) would the problem automatically be resolved and the pilots miraculously become of the same ability as the rest of the group?

[Rabbitwear]

Simple plan really, Organise QF link with the 717s on new routes as they build in numbers the 737s at mainline become surplus looking for a new home at QF link , isn't that how the 717s came about in the beginning.

[SPATFA]

What?

Stop it RENURP and TRAVELATOR. Do you mean that NJS/Cobham have been doing those routes or similar for Qantas for over 20years? Do you mean that they were doing those routes before Qantas domestic existed?

So by my calculations the NJS/ Cobham pilots should be angry at the Qantas Domestic guys for displacing them!

But I should stop because the truth is getting in the way of a good story, cause this is a rumour network not a truth network.

Wait until the Qantas pilots, politicians and Sandilands realise that Cobham is also Surveillance Australia. Personally QLink dash pilots should complain that Cobham is also taking away their surveillance work.

[Afterburner1]

Cloudsurfing,

You are absolutely correct, one heavy landing 6 years ago definitely means that more are on the way when cobham starts flying into Hobart, because everybody knows that only mainline are good enough to land there....

And if your past experience flying on a "cute jet" were so "crappy" would you care to share what made it that way?

[Fuel-Off]

Sunstate (along with Sunstate Mildura which eventuated into Southern) was bought by Australian in '90 and Eastern in '91. Qantas inherited the two when the 'merger' happened in '93. Air Link was operating the 146 around the same time for Australian.

When the merger happened, SSA/EAA guys were actually given seniority numbers with mainline - then the upper crust of the piloting echelon (long haul drivers) removed those numbers saying they didn't want the 'talent to be tainted'.

AN had guys progressing from F-27s to 737s and onwards, apparently QF wasn't interested in the same kind of thinking. Can't see why not? Start on the Dash, progress through the jets...retire where you want to be (even back on the Dash for the lifestyle!).

Imagine the industry today if we had that one list (and maybe one union) - the collective voice would be deafening and we would (at least I think we would probably have) more play in the decisions of the company.

Now we have been divided and conquered. We have been reduced to smearing eachother's professionalism and for what and to what end?

Alas, the longer term common good gives way to ego in the present yet again (some pilots should become politicians with that sort of thinking). So now I propose a slight hijacking of the thread and suggest to all those drivers out there, what now? It's going to be a brave new world in the coming month when the hatchet strikes a final blow on the international arm. Do we want/see some consolidation of the pilot ranks?

Food for thought...

Fuel-Off