I suggest you read the Qantas Sale Act

Have you?
QANTAS SALE ACT REFORM A GOOD STEP FORWARD CANBERRA, 16 December 2009: Qantas today welcomed the Federal Government’s confirmation that it would remove foreign investment restrictions under the Qantas Sale Act. The changes, outlined in the Government’s National Aviation Policy Statement (White Paper), will remove restrictions on the amount of interest in Qantas held by foreign airline shareholders (currently 35 per cent of share capital) and foreign individual shareholders (currently 25 per cent of share capital). The 49 per cent restriction on total foreign shareholders will remain.

Qantas Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alan Joyce, said the reform was an important step forward. “The change announced today gives Qantas parity with Australian carriers governed by the Air Navigation Act when it comes to attracting capital,” Mr Joyce said. “It will help Qantas continue to deliver benefits to its customers and employees and to Australian trade, tourism and business.

“Airlines need policy certainty and financial freedom of movement in order to implement long-term growth plans. Qantas has ambitious goals for fleet, product and infrastructure renewal – and access to capital will be vital to achieving those objectives. “The global financial crisis and economic downturn was a sharp reminder of the volatility of the aviation operating environment, so Qantas is pleased that the White Paper puts a strong focus on providing certainty and generating opportunities for the industry in Australia.

“Qantas is and will remain an Australian airline. The overall 49 per cent foreign ownership limit and requirements relating to Qantas’ management, operational base and Board composition are still in place. “Qantas’ management will always remain Australian.

“Just as importantly, Qantas is uncompromisingly committed to world-leading standards in safety, fleet and product, customer service and operational efficiency. “We will continue to work to these principles in the interests of Australian workers, travellers and business and those of the broader Australian economy.

"Get a grip. ALL aviation jobs in Australia pay enough to achieve this outcome."

Really, worked them have you? I have worked a lot of them and unfortunately only a few offer to support a family in Australia today.

You are patently wrong on that one.

When you leverage off and trade in the Australian name, you owe a duty to the name.

The suggest YOU read the sale act and attempt to understand the debate that was undertaken at the time of Qantas' privatisation. It was specifically designed to stop what Joyce and Clifford and Peter Cosgrove are now attempting to do. A weak government is helping the cause.

Message for Joyce:

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/demotivators_2164_7042456
If you expect to score points by whining,
Join a European Soccer Team

Good point. I would have thought profits would have been fairly high up on the list of shareholder priorities. So perhaps you'd like to address the points I raised about the profitibility and ownership of our existing Asian subsidiaries?

Or shall we conveniently ignore those questions until the accountants have had a chance to massage their numbers a bit more.

I'm no fan of AJ by the way.

Challenge started when GD and co started the current mgt processes but like the Govt once a course is charted it's hard to change direction until the next change of mgt...

In the meantime I see that they are trying to match the cost base of their competitors. Smart thing really..

TBM: "Shareholders dictate terms"... and more so now! This may have slipped through unnoticed ?

601: "Who will be the first to accept Asian T&C's..." -a few self indulgent shonks have already for the Pornstar widebody jobs!

"Australian aviation is pretty much unable to offer that in the longer term at the moment." ...and hence the constant flow of experience going elsewhere, especially out of NZ too, which has worse T&Cs.

Australia is "at the end of the line" and in terms a backwater of sorts. Ever increasing investment in services from majors elsewhere, keep it in touch with the global populations thankfully. It's just interesting to observe the different managerial styles currently in action here, from regionals upwards. :}

“Then there is good old fashioned Chinese corruption aka business ethics.” And “Then there is Government corruption to be paid.”

The US military is currently fighting several wars in the middle east on behalf of western multinational oil companies at the same time that wall street bankers are making off like bandits after lobbying and sometimes paying off government regulators to permit the raping of home owners in a scam that has really only just begun.

And you think the Chinese are alone in corruption?

“Australians fly QF because the are Australian and they are safe.”

Actually, they are doing it fewer numbers than ever before. Australians are choosing foreign carriers, especially Asian carriers, in a trend that will not reverse.

Why is that?

Picked the same random dates in Feb 2012.
MEL-LHR-MEL .

Economy
Air Asia: $1500 .. newish wide body jet with a seat pitch of about 32"
QANTAS: $2400 (on sale) ... newish wide body jet with a seat pitch of about 32"


Both have a pretty good safety record (once upon a time there would have been be a real gap). And, from my experience, Air Asia cabin crew are stricter with the safety and cabin rules.

Air Asia ... buy the food you want(about $10 - $20) + pay for baggage (about $20)
QANTAS ... white lunch box and 1 bag included

My question is ... why am I choosing and paying more for QANTAS?

In fact, I, and many others ... aren't, as there's no added value in using QANTAS anymore.

Obviously, from what Joyce says, International routes aren't packing them in, so, how does QANTAS (or any other Australian Airline) try and fix the problem?

Cost cutting has just about run its course and, as SUNFISH, points out ... it's almost impossible to beat them on their own turf.

My answer is, and always has been, improve the product and charge a premium(which they are charging now - but, sans the improved product). That is, find a premium niche.

As a start, give Economy a 36" seat pitch and see how much extra price the market will bear. QANTAS would keep the diehards ... who'll pay the extra anyway, and they should attract more discerning travelers ... both Aussie and Asian ... as they pass through the Asian hubs.

You'll never beat the Asian LCCs at their own game ... you have to create your own.

Tell that to the cattle farmers up in our north and all the small businesses that are supported by the trade.

Of course the animals should be treated humanely and 99% of them were. Whose interests are the government looking after by stopping the trade?

Mate there's plenty of Asian airlines that pay well and look after their pilots (and still make a profit surprise surprise)!!

Considering that Aus / NZ pilot wages are already among the lowest in the world, and considering that I had to move to one of the most dirt poor third world countries in Asia to earn anything better than a truck driver's wage back home, I'd implement "Asian wages and living conditions" in a heartbeat if I was PM :ouch: