Question is how long can QF international survive? If this looks like it’s going to go on for a few years then AJ and shareholders won’t want the rest of the group to spend a cent propping up international. The government may seriously have to look at some kind of arrangement to prop it up if it is to survive
The other option is to let it fail and that would be no good for any Australian.

Substitute QF with any longhaul airline code to get a better answer

If only it was so easy. Our industrial laws don’t allow for what you propose. Besides which, Qantas (Mainline) is one company - no such thing as voluntary administration on a departmental basis.

Again, Greg Hunt was asked if he could absolutely GUARANTEE that the border would stay open - and like everytime
the media ask for a GUARANTEE the answer has to be NO.

His answer of course made headlines with all the usual BS...

Good point...perhaps I got sucked in by the headline along with everyone else! I do feel the rhetoric has changed though - because they have stuffed the vaccine rollout they are becoming more gun shy about opening up.

QF International was pretty small pre-COVID. The 787’s are all now flying and a bunch of A330’s. They lost quite a few to VR, ER and LWOP. Be interesting to know the numbers they still have, probably not too far from a stable part-time workforce apart from the A380.

As long as things don’t go backwards but continue a slow pace forward, there would be no reason to get rid of International. The 787 and A330 flying is only going to increase and they have the option to use them domestically as well.

Another round of VR would have a good take up I would think.

No VR on the horizon for now

Borders opening is ‘when’, not ‘if’ and it’ll be well before the end of next year.

I reckon when they hit the 60% mark they’ll set a date 6 months in the future beyond that and tell the other 40% of the population they have that long to be vaccinated because after that the borders are open.

I also reckon we may have a phased start up. Singapore and Japan could be by years end or potentially earlier- especially in Singapore’s case. My guess is the borders to the USA will be opening around March/ April next year. The UK if they end up with everyone vaccinated and nil transmission could end up open by this Christmas with some minor restrictions for them to isolate upon arrival for a few days until negative test is confirmed. Manila perhaps not for a couple of years.

Depends a bit on how successful the vaccine is in stopping transmission. If it significantly decreases it AND it stops severe Covid AND most of the populations is vaccinated, why would there be any restrictions at all?

As to QF crew numbers, I reckon QF have worked out how to do the minimum and how to hibernate everything. The scenario that is probably giving them nightmares at the moment is if demand roars back. With long lead times required for the A380 to get aeroplanes and crew up to speed it’d take 12 months plus to get all 12 jets back in the air. I reckon they could do 3-4 in four months. 6 Jets in about 9 months. The remaining six would probably take another 6 months on top of that.

Removed pending phone call....

The Union is completely lame. We didn’t use the power of collective bargaining when we had it. We allowed the company to bypass the Union entirely in the last EBA vote.

The company ignored the Union when we had something to bargain with. Why on earth would the company listen to them when we have absolutely nothing to bargain with? They aren’t even pursuing EBA variations anymore.

Don’t need AIPA to sort this one out.

Come the time when slots are advertised, and they will, A380 crew have every right to bid for them. In most cases their seniority will win them the slot. The company cannot knock them back.....it’s the award, sorry EA.

How can the company argue no useful work in that case?

Has AIPA ever been transparent? Every group that leads a charge for a take-over promising bluer skies under delivers just as much as the last.

............

Agreed. Now that I’m emptying my leave bank, I’m looking closely at leaving AIPA until I’m back at work. Nothing political, but if I’m out of work for the next two years I need all the money I can get.

Associate membership available for those not drawing an income from QF. $20/ month. I appreciate that for some even this is a bridge too far at the moment.

Well that was the plan all along.

Absolutely. No surprise that an airline chooses to employ recruits from it’s own academy.

Fantastic news after the year we’ve had that recruitment is starting again. Hopefully more of it to come.

Applications for 36 month secondments from inside the group are open too, I think they close today actually.

So I guess the academy needs more students? Nobody will sign up if they don't think there is Qantas group job at the end.

I'm also guessing they will hire based on what looks good for PR purposes?