JQ PER pilots told to toughen up

An email sent to JQ PER based pilots a senior perth based pilot-manager has told fellow PER pilots to "toughen up princesses".

The email which was tabled by surprise at a senate committee meeting in Canberra yesterday by independent senator Nick Xenophon, and took JQ CEO Bruce Buchanan and QF CEO Alan Joyce by surprise.  The surprise tabling of the email "made it difficult for management to respond properly to the issues raised about its airline subsidiary." Said Joyce

I let you all make your own calls on whether this email is appropriate or not.

Read the full theaustralian.com.au article by Ben Packham HERE - the email itself is linked above

QF profit effect JQ NZ routes

Following on from the previous post about the profit drop at QF, and the cuts to some routes, it has now been announced that Jetstar NZ will suffer some cuts, as a result of the demand drop from the Chch earthquake.

Christchurch will loose 3 domestic services from April as well as one daily flight to Melbourne

The updated story on stuff.co.nz is HERE

fuel bites QF profits, causes cuts

Qantas are looking to take a $140M hit in their second half profits thanks to rising fuel costs and natural disasters.  As well as an expected $25M loss caused by the A380 engine failure.

As a result Qantas are looking at cutting capacity and also staff.  Qantas are also looking to cut 4 weekly Australia - Japan Jetstar flights as well as one Perth - Tokyo QF flight and move forward the retirement of two 767s.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the measures included reductions in domestic and international capacity, retirement of aircraft, reduction of management positions and ongoing fuel surcharges.

Read the stories from AAP via stuff.co.nz HERE or Dow Jones Newswire writer Ross Kelly via theaustralian.com.au HERE

New Air New Zealand Videos

Air New Zealand have reached some stunning new heights or lows depending on your point of view with their latest two videos that have been released recently.  First off Rico met Snoop Dogg, then the latest safety video has been released - fit to fly with Richard Simmons, guest staring Phil Keoghan and Paul Henry.

Check the videos out for yourself and see what you think.

Fit to Fly with Richard Simmons


Rico and Snoop Dogg Rap video

Fuel/Disasters Smash Virgin

The Virgin group has been smashed by the volatile high pricing of fuel, as well as less passenger numbers due to natural disasters in Queensland and New Zealand reporting today they expect a full year loss of between $30M and $80M.

The extra rise in the last six weeks spurred by escalating tensions in Libya has added $50m to the Brisbane-based group's second-half fuel costs. The Christchurch earthquake is expected to have a $15m impact, it said.

As a result of this forecast Virgin shares dropped in early trade as investors looked to offload the company.

Read the full articles on the profit forecast HERE and the share price drop HERE - both from Dow Jones Newswire writer Don Kelly via theaustralian.com.au

Trouble brewing for Qantas

Trouble seems to be brewing for Qantas with the influential Transport Workers Union who represents 9000 of Qantas's baggage, ramp, refuelling, fleet & catering staff, joining the Pilots and Engineers in threatening strike action over Qantas's use of outside labour, threatening the "job safety" of union members.

"Over the past few years, Qantas has made it clear to the workforce that the undermining of wages and conditions and job security is part of its business model," the union's federal secretary, Tony Sheldon, told The Australian. "Job security will, without a doubt, be part of these negotiations with our workplace committee, and if a settlement is not reached, industrial action is definitely on the table and will be put to the members."

 One positive for Qantas though is they have struck and in-principle agreement with the union representing check in and administrative staff.

Things may become very "interesting" for Qantas if they do suffer strike action from basically all union staff except check in and admin, if the strike action was to go ahead then the airline would effectively be grounded with no unionised airside staff working.

Read the full article including the TWU position as written by theaustralian.com.au's Industrial editor Ewin Hannan HERE

Is Strategic suffering?

Is Strategic Airlines suffering in the wake of the loss of Strategic Aviation's lucrative ADF contract?  Strategic founder Michael James says no, no Strategic is not suffering in fact its growing

Mr James said the airline was pushing ahead with expansion plans that included additional Airbus A330 aircraft, a move to bigger headquarters and a maintenance base in Brisbane.
He also said the Brisbane-based carrier had been approached independently by three groups about capital investment that could accelerate that growth.

The article also mentions some changes coming to Strategic in the coming year.  With a particular emphasis on adding additional A330 aircraft (7 in total) and new routes.  He has also flagged a rebranding process which will see a new name for Strategic Aviation.
So if everything comes to pass then look for Strategic to become a force in Australian aviation.

To fully appreciate  everything that is occurring with Strategic you have to read the full article.

Read the full article from theaustralian.com.au aviation writer Steve Creedy HERE

Quakes effect Air New Zealand

First Christchurch was hit by a shallow devastating 6.3M quake, then Northern Japan was flattened by an 8.9M quake and subsequent Tsunami.  Both of these have had a major impact on Air New Zealand who link Tokyo and Osaka in Japan with both Auckland and Christchurch in NZ.

The impact from the devastation in Japan and the Christchurch earthquake has hit Air New Zealand, which dropped more than 10 per cent yesterday after it said it expected to make a second-half loss.

Read the full nzherald.co.nz article by Owen Hembry HERE

Air New Zealand have also retimed or cancelled a large number of their trans tasman flights to/from Christchurch, with the main change having late night arrivals retimed to daylight arrivals.

During the next three months, 73 flights between Sydney and Christchurch would have new departure and arrival times, as well as 54 flights from Brisbane and 62 from Melbourne, the airport said today.

Read  the full nzherald.co.nz article HERE

Fuel prices continue to bite

The rising costs of fuel and oil continue to bite the local aviation industry with Virgin Blue announcing an increase in the fuel surcharge and articles also on the rising cost of Air New Zealand fares to Australia and the possibility of another rise in Qantas's fuel surcharge.

International short-haul fares on Pacific Blue will rise by up to $20 per sector while domestic fares will rise between $6 and $10 per sector.
The changes apply from March 21.

Read the full set of articles all from theaustralian.com.au below.

Borghetti says Virgin Blue balancing competitive pricing against fuel costs by Steve Creedy HERE
Air New Zealand increases fares to Australia by 8pc by AFP HERE
Qantas warns another fuel surcharge rise looms by Steve Creedy HERE

Air National end of an era

The era or perhaps more aptly error that has been the life of Air National looks to have come to an end with the airline voluntarily asking for the NZ CAA to cancel their Part 119 AOC, meaning they are no longer able to fly.

The Director of Civil Aviation, Steve Douglas, said he received a letter from the company yesterday voluntarily asking him to revoke its certificate and he revoked it immediately.

This is likely to lead to the loss of up to 40 jobs from the company, since an airline that cant fly doesn't really need air crew.

As many as 40 staff could lose their jobs as a result, The Dominion Post reported.
Air National chief executive Jason Gray said job losses were inevitable without saying how many.

So far there has been no word on Air Nationals fleet of J32EP aircraft or their BAe 146, or the validity of the corporate jets they fly on behalf of customers.

Read the full stories on the decision courtesy of stuff.co.nz aviation writer Roeland Van Den Bergh HERE or the nzhearld.co.nz article HERE

Virgin launch new inflight menu

The Virgin group have launched a new in flight menu for their buy on board food and drink sales across the virgin group airlines.  Like other airlines Virgin have gone for a "celebrity chef" with their range coming from Luke Mangan.

There have been a few changes to the standard buy-on-board range but at the same time the menu has a similar feel to it, albeit with the addition of Luke Mangan's name everywhere, and the increasing of prices. 

One of the things that Im not happy with is the change from a premixed can of cola and spirit for $7.00 to a 50ml of spirit for $7.00 with the mixer to be bought separately at $3.00, and whats worse the mixer is no longer Coke but now Pepsi.

Read the theaustralian.com.au article HERE and see the new menu HERE

Fuel costs bite

The rising costs of Aviation fuel, which along with ordinary fuel & oil have risen dramatically recently due in part to political unrest in Libya, have impacted on airlines in Australasia with both Air New Zealand and Qantas announcing fare increases to cover the increasing costs.

The airline [Air New Zealand] said that in the past month jet fuel has increased from $US114 ($NZ155) per barrel to $US130 per barrel, adding almost $US10 million per month to the airline's operating costs.

Read more about the increases in an NZPA article supplied by stuff.co.nz HERE
and theaustralian.com.au article by aviation writer Steve Creedy HERE