Australian Airlines reborn
 

So what are the chances of Qf mainline pilots flying this 'retro revival' airline? All I know is whoever does, will get to fly to some nice places....

Word is that current QF 767 pilots will fly these aircraft under current award and seniority list.....and yes, some of those places are pretty nice.

BTW...resistance is futile.

From QANTAS' press release:

Mr Dixon said the airline would also take over some current unprofitable Qantas routes from which Qantas intended to withdraw over the next six months.

He said Mr Adams would be joined by a small team from Qantas to finalise a submission to the Qantas Board and begin initial preparations for the airline's start up.

"We will work with the relevant authorities to obtain an airline operating certificate, as well as approvals for traffic rights and the Australian Airlines route structure," he said.

"Plans regarding fleet, livery and the headquarters for Australian Airlines will be announced in coming months.

"We are very excited about the opportunities offered by this new airline, which would not be possible under the existing Qantas cost structure," Mr Dixon said. "We believe the long term growth prospects for Australian Airlines are very promising, with benefits for employment and tourism."

You mean it's cheaper to setup, register and establish an entire new airline, and operate these currently unprofitable routes, than to use an existing, established company???!!! :confused:

Looks like QANTAS employees are about to enter a new era of industrial relations :mad: to me!

Priority one is get rid of little johnney Howard.

Qantas will kill off unprofitable routes over the next six months to feed to its new low-cost international carrier - with Brisbane emerging as the frontrunner to win the airline's headquarters and operations.

The Flying Kangaroo yesterday confirmed that Australian Airlines would be used as the name for the start-up operation, with flights due to start by July.

Its livery, fleet composition and network will be confirmed in the next few weeks.

Qantas's chief executive, Mr Geoff Dixon, selected his own marketing boss, Mr Denis Adams, to head the new airline.

In October, the Qantas board will rule definitely on the airline's business plan.

Already seven ports have been nominated: Tahiti, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai, Seoul, Sapporo and Fukuoka.

But Mr Adams said Australian Airlines was likely to quickly expand in Asia and the Pacific, taking up areas from which Qantas would soon withdraw because of increasingly slim margins. He would not specify the destinations that would be sacrificed but confirmed he wanted to fly from cities including Darwin, Cairns and Perth.

"The name picked itself," said Mr Adams, a former boss of Jetset who spent more than 25 years with the old Australian Airlines, a brand Qantas had retained since its absorption in 1993.

"The absolutely critical thing is that this airline will not be competing with Qantas.

"It will have distinct routes so there will be no cannibalisation. It will be a full service airline because that is what it needs to be to be competitive. But the principal objective is to get the costs right and we believe we have a tremendous advantage because we are starting from scratch."

It is likely four to six planes will initially be bought, probably Boeing 767-200s with capacity for 270 passengers in economy and super-economy, or business class.

Mr Adams said frequent flyer points would be interchangeable with Qantas, just like other airline partners in the oneworldalliance.

The model created by Impulse, the low-cost domestic carrier Qantas swallowed last May, will be used to drive down costs, with emphasis on Internet-only ticketing, and possible non-union work areas, to cut overheads. Australian Airlines will also use only one type of aircraft - another cost saving.

The revelation of more cuts to Qantas's network - which requires a smaller workforce to operate - could heighten tensions with embittered unions over the slow progress of wage negotiations.

There have already been strikes, with disruptions threatened by some unions.

Qantas has held talks about where it will set up the base for Australian Airlines, with Queensland firming because of its access to Asia - and a big maintenance facility has recently been transferred to Brisbane.

A spokesman for the Queensland Premier, Mr Beattie, said the State had lower costs and a skilled workforce, and was working hard to win the headquarters.

News of Mr Adams's appointment was welcomed by tourism groups.

The Australian Tourist Commission's managing director, Mr Ken Boundy, said Asian and Japanese passengers accounted for 40 per cent of inbound tourists, a figure tipped to rise to 50 per cent in the next nine years.

The Australian Hotels Association also supported the decision.

Ah memories - what a great name. I've still got my old hat. Does this mean I can get my old job back ?

Is it just me or is there some irony that if current QF 767 drivers end up crewing this airline that none of them will ever have been employed by the former 'Australian Airlines' and those that were are employed by QF.

Fingers crossed!!

Keg
That and some other ironies crossed my mind as well.

Great to see the name up there again.

"Up up and awaaay...."

"Would you like to fly in my beautiful ........"

At risk of flaming - anybody know about recruiting for the new carrier

If Qantas can call Hobart a "holiday destination" for purpose of putting B717 on the route they can make any route "unprofitable".
Spin doctor extraordiniare.

Another one for the Buster! If only I could get that search button to find my original post :rolleyes:

I suppose it was good while it lasted. TN back and plying the unprofitable skies alone, but, alas, they already have a competitor in Asia that will be looking for crew due to an expansion into the same market that the reborn TN is going for! How ironic that this same carrier is from the same "stable" as QF.

Et tu Brute? ;)

this airline is being set up to pit QF employees against AA emplyoees.ie if you people in engineering can't much the quote set. by AA the work will be going to them.Which will be contractors.