Qantas to start new airline in Asia?

[Nigelinoz]

Did anyone else read this report in "The Australian" yesterday about QF considering the option of creating yet another airline,based in Asia?
Interesting.
Cheers
N'oz
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nati...-1226053547706
Edited to add: Plane Talking is reporting that the AIPA has sent an email to it's members advising that QF has applied for an AOC for Malaysia.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2011/05/11/cover-blown-on-new-qantas-off-shore-plans/

 

[tuppaware]

Did anyone else read this report in "The Australian" yesterday about QF considering the option of creating yet another airline,based in Asia?
Interesting.
Cheers
N'oz
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nati...-1226053547706
Edited to add: Plane Talking is reporting that the AIPA has sent an email to it's members advising that QF has applied for an AOC for Malaysia.
Cover blown on new Qantas off-shore plans | Plane Talking

Brand Expansion ? Or Jetstar mark 2.
Cheaper operations then Aus thats for sure.

 

[Nigelinoz]

Brand Expansion ? Or Jetstar mark 2.
Cheaper operations then Aus thats for sure.

The rumour mill is suggesting that it will be a "premier" brand focussing on the business market,the other major tenet is an engineering base,at the moment the rumour is that QF have applied for a Malaysian AOC.
Obviously like all rumours this one could be total fabrication but it is being widely reported now.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[samh004]

[-]The linked "theaustralian" article is the wrong one, and I can’t find the one you’re talking about, seems it’s been pulled.[/-]

 

[Nigelinoz]

The linked "theaustralian" article is the wrong one, and I can’t find the one you’re talking about, seems it’s been pulled.

It's still there down the bottom of the page but I'll cut and paste some of it for you.

Qantas eyes Asia
QANTAS is considering starting a new Asian-based airline aimed at the business market in a move that would pave the way for more Asian-based engineering facilities. The plan is part of Leslie Grant's review of the company's international operations that is due to be completed by the end of the year.
The move is somewhat sensitive now in view of looming industrial action with its engineering workforce.
But the aim of the plan would be to extend the airline's reach into Asia and in the process reduce its cost base.

The article in Plane Talking is still there for me too.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[samh004]

It's still there down the bottom of the page but I'll cut and paste some of it for you.

The article in Plane Talking is still there for me too.
Cheers
N'oz

Oh I see what you meant, I thought it was a whole page and I only saw the top story which was different, why can’t they just create a separate page for each? :-|

 

[thewinchester]

Sorry, but lately I don't put much creedence in Ben Sandilands of Crikey, and of rumour in general. It's become obvious lately that Ben has an axe to grind with QF, and I just don't see the logic (at least as an industry outsider) to them going down this path.

 

[Nigelinoz]

Sorry, but lately I don't put much creedence in Ben Sandilands of Crikey, and of rumour in general. It's become obvious lately that Ben has an axe to grind with QF, and I just don't see the logic (at least as an industry outsider) to them going down this path.

Nothing to do with Crikey,the story was broken yesterday in The Australian and much of the Plane Talking article was based on an email sent by the union to it's members last night.
now as I have pointed out the rumour could be totally baseless however Qantas have not denied it outright -only said that every option is on the table,I'm happy to wait and see what comes of it but I'm not dismissing it just because Plane Talking ran a story about it.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[pshepvic]

Whenever a politician says "every option is on the table" it usually means "the one option you have mentioned is being pursued, but as it may not be favourable to the public we'll pretend there are other options"

 

[YQY]

''At this stage we don't have any options to rule in or out,'' Qantas's government relations boss, Olivia Wirth, said. ''We are going to be investigating all options but [a Malaysia-based airline] is purely speculation.''

Read more on SMH: Qantas airline tipped for Malaysia
​

 

[pauly7]

Wow, interesting! Wonder what the plan is...

 

[Moopere]

I reckon there is a long term strategy here. I'm touched on this is another thread a while ago. Rightly or wrongly, and I'm guessing there will be right and wrong on both sides as usual, QF seems to chafe under union or other local Aussie demands.

Extrapolating from the rise and rise of JQ, at least in view of shareholder returns and the continued under performance of QF (self hobbled in my view) and now, if there is truth behind the rumor, a new business class/style airline with offshore base ... it seems to me that QF will eventually become a management company that doesn't actually fly under its own banner, thus cutting away the local "problem", whatever the reality of that might be.

This transformation, if my crystal ball is showing correctly, is almost 100% a political game given QF's high profile in Australia. Management will need to nibble away slowly at QF, transferring product and market share elsewhere in the group until eventually they can show that QF is simply not profitable to run any longer and air operations need to be closed - you can't easily legislate operations against a failed business after all, and Australians will probably accept the argument of an impossible future if the numbers simply don't stack up.

In the meantime, profitability has been moved to JQ + new airline, full services still available to those markets who can maintain the right bums on the right seats.

 

[pauly7]

Big front page article in AFR.

Qantas Asia, I'm liking it!

 

[dk4]

Wow, interesting! Wonder what the plan is...

Low cost? premium service...? Now that would be exciting!

 

[pshepvic]

Low cost? premium service...? Now that would be exciting!

Yes, as opposed to the current Premium Cost, Low Service model

 

[777]

Sorry, but lately I don't put much creedence in Ben Sandilands of Crikey, and of rumour in general. It's become obvious lately that Ben has an axe to grind with QF, and I just don't see the logic (at least as an industry outsider) to them going down this path.

I'm not sure you've got a lot of credit points for picking credible stories and/or journalists at the moment. Your 0/1 on "gospel truth" lately.

 

[elbarto]

Maybe a take over of MH is on the cards again.

 

[oz_mark]

Big front page article in AFR.

Qantas Asia, I'm liking it!

There were a few articles in the weekend AFR as well. For a rumour, it does seem to have a bit of detail behind it: Some of the points in the AFR articles:

1) Based in Singapore, minority stake with a local partner
2) Won't be called Qantas, but will have the look and feel.
3) Initially based on a A320 fleet
4) Routes would include Perth and Adelaide where it is not profitable for QF to operate
5) Analysts say SQ would likely want something in return for allowing such an airline to be established

 

[Nigelinoz]

Assuming that there is some substance to this rumour the point I find interesting is that Qantas are apparently wanting the new airline to have a totally seperate identity and no link to either QF mainline or Jetstar-otherwise if they only wanted to set up a "premium carrier" in Asia why wouldn't they just use the Jetstar Asia air operator certficate ,take a few Jetstar Asia aircraft and refit them with J class ?
Cheers
N'oz

 

[browski]

Maybe a take over of MH is on the cards again.

MH being a first world airline, could takeover Qantas - the reverse would be unlikely.