If you find flying these days a somewhat more chaotic experience than before the pandemic, you are not alone. Pilots apparently find it less predictable as well.
An extensive report on the ABC News website opens with an account of a senior Qantas captain of 30 years standing, returning to the cockpit after being stood down at the peak of Australia’s Covid lockout.
The veteran pilot quickly learns that things are “not the same,” the report says.
“There is no one to talk to, and when you go to work, you are basically on your own. It’s like we’re running a virtual airline.”
The report by the ABC’s Catherine Taylor is well worth reading. It comes as flight cancellations and delays hit record levels in Australia, prompting public fury.
A record number of domestic flights were cancelled or ran late last month.
The performance of Australian airlines in June was at rock bottom – the worst since records began. Only 58.4% of Qantas flights departed on time, and 59.1% arrived on schedule. The best performer, Rex, had 82.7% of flights depart on time, with 80% on-time arrivals. Virgin Australia recorded 60.4% for on-time departures and 62.4% for on-time arrivals.
Criticism of Qantas has reached such levels that the airline’s Domestic and International chief executive, Andrew David, issued a recent statement on the matter.
The ABC story includes the following indignant tweet in sarcastic vein, by a peeved flyer with the airline:
Got to tell you spending nearly 4hrs on a plane last night – 2.5hrs of them sitting on the tarmac because of baggage errors was a true joy. Thank you, @qantas. pic.twitter.com/alzPYnz5BZ
— Matt Smithson (@mattsmithson) April 14, 2022
The ABC report continues: “Against this background of unhappy customers and staff, Qantas has pocketed $2 billion in taxpayer-funded Covid payments and signed off giant end-of-financial-year performance bonuses to executives worth around $1 million each, to be paid in stocks in August next year following a period of cutbacks to executive pay”.
Could these factors have anything to do with the reported attack on Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce’s new $19 million harbourside mansion in the plush Sydney suburb of Mosman? The magnificent residence was “bombed with toilet paper and eggs” this month, as reported by Daily Mail Australia, complete with photos.
Written by Peter Needham
