The flying kangaroo has developed an English accent on Qantas flights in and out of London as British flight attendants replace Australians.
The Spirit of Australia’s trademark “g’day” started to go missing between London and the airline’s Asian hubs of Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong after Qantas set up a cabin crew base in Britain’s capital in 2005.
With all but about 80 of the 550 jobs at the base taken up by non-Australians, Qantas passengers can find themselves surrounded by British accents and regaled by a local twang only when an announcement is made from the cockpit.
The London base was part of a cost-cutting program designed to save the airline $18 million a year by cutting down in areas such
as cabin crew allowances and accommodation expenses.
The savings come from flying Australian-based crew as far the Asian hubs and handing over to overseas-based attendants on the second leg of a trip to Europe.
While Qantas offered Australians first refusal on the then 400 jobs based in London, the union representing flight attendants says the base is now dominated by Britons.
Flight Attendants Association of Australia international division secretary said an agreement with the airline meant that Australian-based crew staffed one Boeing 747 flight a day all the way through to London.
“All the rest of them, including the A380, on sectors from Asia to London and back from London to Asia are done by London-based crew and also the company puts on Thai-based crew as well.
Qantas executive manager customer and marketing Lesley Grant said the airline established the London base to best manage its resources.
“We employ all our flight attendants for their skills and commitment to service and safety,” she said. “Their nationality doesn’t make Qantas any more or less Australian.”
While UK-based crew operate all Qantas flights from London to Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong, Ms Grant said Australian-based crews operate all sectors between Australia and the airline’s Asian hubs.
The UK base arrangement provides significant savings in terms of rostering efficiencies and reduced accommodation and allowance costs, she said.
The Qantas plan to open the London base was initially opposed by the FAAA and almost prompted a crippling strike before an agreement was reached in enterprise negotiations.
Source:The Herald Sun
By: QF380 - 25th May 2009 at 12:44
As crew at the London base I can firstly tell you that a lot more then 80 of our crew are Australian, the figure is around 40%.
The base has been open over 4 years now and provides an awful lot of cost saving synergies, streamlines operations and provides efficiency.
Australian based crew previously operated the QF31/32 through to London however since the arrival of the A380 on this route, they now do the QF9/10. The Bangkok base has been open for around 10 years and has around 80 crew members who fly throughout the network including on the QF1/2 to/from London although there is only ever 1 to 2 Thai crew on these flights.
To become a London based crew member you first need to apply, undergo an extensive phone interview, attend a group interview and pass the morning stages before undergoing a two on one interview and finally pass a medical. You then undergo some 8 weeks of training before you go online. The base employs high quality crew including a large number of former Silverjet and EOS crew.
Passengers have never complained to me or any other crew member I know about being ‘surrounded by British accents’.
For the record, Air New Zealand, JAL, ANA, United, KLM and several others all have UK bases.
QF380
By: T5 - 21st May 2009 at 04:29
It’s not really that much of a problem, is it? I can certainly understand why Qantas works this way and it makes sense to me, especially during these difficult times. Really, there is no difference between Qantas and airlines such as Emirates, Gulf Air, Etihad and Qatar Airways. The majority of the crew working these flights are from anywhere but the Middle East.
By: steve rowell - 21st May 2009 at 02:09
.
Qantas certainly are on a cost reduction drive.
There’s a rumour going around that quite a few Management and check pilots are about to become unemployed!!!
By: symon - 20th May 2009 at 13:34
Sad news; you might as well just fly BA out there now (unless you want the very (ahem) stylish QF A380 experience).
Qantas certainly are on a cost reduction drive.
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May 20, 2009 at 2:29 am