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Qantas

February

I think, therefore I am, I think ...
Thoughts about Qantas and Alan Joyce clearing off and grabbing his pay.
I don't think I have ever heard anyone say a good thing about him!
 
It’s funny, a few years ago I switched to ONLY flying Qantas domestically. Not that I’m that much of a frequent flyer (a few returned flights Syd-Mel a year basically). And I’ve not looked back.
I was sick and tired of getting the cheaper flights and constantly being shunted around with delayed and cancelled flights etc. I can’t be bothered with the hassle.
Not once have I been mucked around with Qantas, and they service has been more than fine.
I’m happy to pay a bit more for the peace of mind that I’m unlikely to have to deal with flight cancellations or changes.

Perhaps I don’t fully understand the whole argument around the Covid payments but this is how I see it…
Personally, during Covid lockdowns my hours at work reduced dramatically, I received some payments some weeks. I can’t remember what it was called, it was one where I had to declare that I had lost more than 20% hours or something and receive payment directly from Centrelink. Anyway, I was thankful for those payments, it helped pay the bills and get me through the lockdowns. Now post lockdown, my industry has seen a real lack of staff and I am now working lots of over time. Now that I am making considerably more money, should I be expected to pay back the govt assistance I received during lockdowns?
How is that all that different from Qantas. They lost a dramatic amount of business, money was received to support their staff during the lockdowns and now post lockdown they are back to making a profit. I can’t see why they should be penalised for that?
I choose to fly Qantas due to the advice received and happily pay at times double or even more than I could if I chose to fly with a budget airline. Should I then turn around and begrudge them their profits?

Maybe there’s lots I’m missing here… but this is how I feel about Qantas.
 
A friend of mine recently got her refund from Qantas with no dramas. She left it until now as she wasn't going anywhere and was in no hurry to apply for it. She said she contacted them and it went straight into her account.
I'm not sure why some people are having problems and others aren't.
 
Qantas collected $860m in job keeper payments, only to then sack a fuckload of staff and then outsource to cheaper contractors. Staff who wanted to keep their job had to reapply though the new contractor and get paid substantially less for doing the same work.

Cries poor, takes over a billion dollars of tax payers money in tax relief and job keeper assistance, then posts a $2.5b profit.

Sells tickets for flights that are already cancelled and keeps people’s money in credit for a flight they had zero intention of operating.

Places restrictions and expiries on people’s credits and refuses to refund (up until this week).

Lobbies the government to refuse to allow competition into Australia by granting other airlines more flights. More airlines = more choice and lower airfares.

Alan Joyce is a smug little leprechaun that doesn’t give a shit about his customers.

Qantas used to be the pride of the nation, but is a disgrace. Hopefully the new CEO can return it to the glory days.
 
As I said before, I have never heard or spoken to anyone who had/has a good thing to say about Alan Joyce. And he now walks away Scott free and with squillions!
 
I thought a lot of the Qantas issues were probably a bit over blown. A media campaign against them. Although knowing there were issues.

I know some people who have just had an absolute shit show trying to get to America to meet relatives. Day one, the flight was cancelled. On day two, the flight turns around a few hours and lands back where it took off. Day three it takes off but is delayed and they miss connecting flights.

So many people's travel plans all ruined. People missing cruises, weddings and various other things. The staff at the airport (not Qantas ones) were telling them that Qantas is constantly cancelling a lot of flights and it's a shit show. That various legs like what they were doing are cancelled all the time.
 
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