Article: Only 17% of Ansett Global Rewards Members Feared of Airline Bankruptcy

[Rich]

(we were stuck with that Ansett fare levy for years)

That always irked me. I worked for a company that went bust a few months before Ansett and lost entitlements, but there was no levy for us.

 

[justinbrett]

Start-up DJ then had to weather the 9/11 storm ....

Happy to be corrected, but there was no 9/11 storm in the Australian domestic market.

The consequence of AN disappearing was that the otherwise downturn in travel was more than offset by the lack of capacity. Air fares and loads went up, not down. It was a good deal for QF & DJ domestically (QFi is another matter), especially as it put an end to the fare ware that all were partaking in until this point.

I don't think DJ felt any 9/11 pain whatsoever.

 

[CaptJCool]

That always irked me. I worked for a company that went bust a few months before Ansett and lost entitlements, but there was no levy for us.

In which year then did FEG start ?

in liquidations now with no money left, employees can obtain government funded entitlements instead

 

[Rich]

In which year then did FEG start ?

in liquidations now with no money left, employees can obtain government funded entitlements instead

We received some FEG payment, but it was limited, so we were all out of pocket, to varying degrees.

 

[RooFlyer]

Happy to be corrected, but there was no 9/11 storm in the Australian domestic market.

The consequence of AN disappearing was that the otherwise downturn in travel was more than offset by the lack of capacity. Air fares and loads went up, not down. It was a good deal for QF & DJ domestically (QFi is another matter), especially as it put an end to the fare ware that all were partaking in until this point.

I don't think DJ felt any 9/11 pain whatsoever.

Well, that's a fine notion to debate As you say, there was a downturn in travel, offset by the withdrawal of supply.

But honestly, if you think DJ didn't feel pain, well, we'll disagree (again ). There is more to airline comfort and pain than bums in seats at the time. Ever seen the reaction of a banker to market uncertainty? I was then working in Sydney for one of the investment banks that had exposure. They were locking down everything they could lay their hands on, making life very difficult. But, as we know, DJ came through, thank goodness, thanks to all those bums looking for a seat, and the shackles came off. But I doubt very much that there was no pain in the process. My last word on this aspect.

 

[justinbrett]

Well, that's a fine notion to debate As you say, there was a downturn in travel, offset by the withdrawal of supply.

But honestly, if you think DJ didn't feel pain, well, we'll disagree (again ). There is more to airline comfort and pain than bums in seats at the time. Ever seen the reaction of a banker to market uncertainty? I was then working in Sydney for one of the investment banks that had exposure. They were locking down everything they could lay their hands on, making life very difficult. But, as we know, DJ came through, thank goodness, thanks to all those bums looking for a seat, and the shackles came off. But I doubt very much that there was no pain in the process. My last word on this aspect.

Well yes, it's financial position was as bad as AN's at the time - a couple of weeks difference it could have been them.

Any pain they felt though was not due to 9/11 - quite the contrary - it was from the preceding price war - once fares returned to normal and flights were going out full they went gang busters and quickly filled the AN void.

If DJ weren't making a fat profit post 9/11 they were doing something terribly wrong. I know QF raked it in (flights were chockers and fares were sky high - a bit like now actually) - profit from 01/02 increased compared to 00/01. DJ made similar statements of profit and floated just over a year later.

Anyway don't don't take my word for it (and I know you won't) - this was posted just a few months after 9/11 commenting on DJ's healthy financial position.

Virgin Blue float to cash in on open sky

www.smh.com.au

 

[Sprucegoose]

I still blame Air NZ for the collapse and as such have not spent $1 with them since

I love all the spite and hatred!

Ansett storm leaves PM Clark stranded - NZ Herald

Latest breaking news articles, photos, video, blogs, reviews, analysis, opinion and reader comment from New Zealand and around the World - NZ Herald

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Rich]

I don't recall much about Ansett's demise but here is another good article

Ansett Australia 20 years on: Great Airline, Lousy Business. - Airline Ratings

“Great airline, lousy business” — that was how Perth-born Sir Rod Eddington summed up Ansett Australia 12 months after he took the helm of it in the late 1990s. His mission on behalf of 50 percent stakeholder News Limited was to get the airline into shape and sell it off. It was a great airline […]

www.airlineratings.com

 

[AustSerbKor]

I dealt with Ansett in the mid 1990s and remember they always wanted to pay in flights for everything, even tables at business lunches. Of course I being young and predominantly drunk at that time didn't link that to a shortage of cash, so i kept paying my Golden Wing renewals. I always figured drinking in 3-4 visits to the lounge offset the annual fee, did I mention I was drinking a lot.

After the administration started, I was lucky enough to get through when they reopened redemptions and used most of my 90,000 points for a trip to the Hong Kong 7's the next year. I never received my ticket and forgot I'd booked a harbourview suite at Sheraton Hong Kong until I discovered my bank account was empty one morning as I'd been charged the one night penalty. Still others had it worse.

I flew Ansett (under administration) for the last time SYD-BNE. The purser individually thanked every customer for booking Ansett, I suspect she wouldn't have passed Virgin's then hiring process but hope all the staff found something better.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I don't recall much about Ansett's demise but here is another good article

Ansett Australia 20 years on: Great Airline, Lousy Business. - Airline Ratings

“Great airline, lousy business” — that was how Perth-born Sir Rod Eddington summed up Ansett Australia 12 months after he took the helm of it in the late 1990s. His mission on behalf of 50 percent stakeholder News Limited was to get the airline into shape and sell it off. It was a great airline […]

www.airlineratings.com

It was exactly that, a great airline and a lousy business, propped up by the highly regulated Australian market (the two airline policy). Sir Peter would go to the Paris Air show and purchase a handful of Airbus aircraft. How can you have a fleet management plan when all the requirements change suddenly overnight?

The former proprietor of the Adelaide Advertiser and he mistrusted each other's intentions. The result was that both key shareholders were unprepared to adequately capitalise the business (when not in a free cash position).

 

[Sprucegoose]

I always figured drinking in 3-4 visits to the lounge offset the annual fee, did I mention I was drinking a lot.

You're not special, we were all like that!

I flew Ansett (under administration) for the last time SYD-BNE. The purser individually thanked every customer for booking Ansett, I suspect she wouldn't have passed Virgin's then hiring process but hope all the staff found something better.

the purser's actions exemplified the airline and all credit to her.

 

[MARTINE]

Good reminder to earn and burn as quickly as possible. Always makes me laugh when you see people flaunting their sky-high QF points balance like a badge of honour.

I use them too now
Washing machines/dysons vacs/fridges all paid for by points
Capacity limits and devaluations mean I dont bother using for flying anymore - although in the past when it was easy I did

 

[Sprucegoose]

I use them too now
Washing machines/dysons vacs/fridges all paid for by points
Capacity limits and devaluations mean I dont bother using for flying anymore - although in the past when it was easy I did

I am using them more these days (and appreciate sage advice I receive).

I won't buy the hard goods but more into travel experiences UG’s with people I like!