Grounding of Qantas Fleet October 2011

October 29 2011 Qantas cancels all flights indefinitely

When was the last time there was an airline strike that really inconvenienced you as a traveller?

1989 under the Labor Government led by Bob Hawke in Australia was the first real experience of gross inconvenience for many Australian travelers.

"The dispute severely disrupted domestic air travel in Australia and had a major detrimental impact on the tourism industry and many other businesses. The Royal Australian Air Force provided some limited domestic air services at the time to ease the impact of the strike. For a while, some overseas airlines operated charter 737 aircraft in east coast routes, and travel between Perth and Sydney was via Singapore, using international flights. The dispute was superficially resolved after the mass resignation of a significant number of domestic airline pilots to avoid litigation from the employers. The employers obtained significant support from the Labor government and 'successfully' recruited new pilots from overseas."

Ansett, Australian Airlines, East-West, Compass Airlines OZJET and Ipec Aviation no longer exist

Is Qantas NEXT???

Products I was involved in marketing in 1989 that retailed for $4380.00 now retail for $3499.00 in 2011 and quality is as good or even better. Products that will perform the same function are now even available for $299.00, how do you compete with that?

Where does that leave higher wage demands? If you are a worker and you feel you should be taking home more money, look at how much the government is taxing you. Think the government is taxing business instead of you? Who pays business? Who pays business? [Consumers if it needs explanation] If government does pay business it is using taxpayers (YOUR) money!

As a self employed person I work many more hours than I did in 1989 for very similar money to which I earned in 1989.

Why wouldnt Qantas staff escalating this dispute just resign and work some where else where the money or conditions are better? (If there is such an option?)

What is different to 1989 in Australia?

Virgin Jetstar Tiger Strategic

Qantas staff will all be working for competitors, on competitor terms, or they will be on social security paid for by other Australians, unless they sort this out very soon.

From past experience trade unions have demanded my money, antagonised my employer beyond negotiation then tell me, as trade unions have told me in the past, that they cannot do anything for me.

Trade unions have never been there when I needed them over the past 30 years but are always there to take my money for nothing!!!

Trade unions I was forced to join in my time in the building industry were nothing other than self serving in my experience.

I would prefer to stay in Aus and drive somewhere than risk inconvenience from striking Qantas staff.

Alan Joyce is on a really good package, lets hope he does something with it and maintains Qantas for Australians somehow.

International Airlines other than Qantas flying to and from Australia

1. Aerolineas Argentinas
2. Air Asia
3. Air Austral
4. Aircalin
5. Air Canada
6. Air China
7. Air India
8. Air Mauritius
9. Air New Zealand
10. Air Niugini
11. Air North
12. Air Pacific
13. Air Vanuatu
14. Asiana Airlines
15. Austrian Airlines
16. British Airways
17. Cathay Pacific
18. China Airlines
19. China Eastern
20. China Southern
21. Continental
22. Delta
23. Emirates
24. Etihad Airways
25. Eva Air
26. flysolomons
27. Garuda Indonesia
28. Gulf Air
29. Hainan Airlines
30. Hawaiian Airlines
31. Japan Airlines
32. Jetstar
33. Korean Air
34. LAN
35. Malaysia Airlines
36. MEA
37. Norfolk Air
38. Olympic Airlines
39. Pacific Blue
40. Philippine Airlines
41. Polynesian Blue
42. Qatar Airlines
43. Royal Brunei Airlines
44. Singapore Airlines
45. South African
46. Strategic
47. Tiger Airways Australia
48. Turkish Airlines
49. Thai Airways International
50. United Airlines
51. V Australia
52. Vietnam Airlines
53. Virgin Atlantic

Many international airlines code share into Australia on other carriers.

Not much competition???