Is it time for Alan Joyce to fall on his sword?

I'm not suggesting AJ is doing a GOOD job, but I'm not sure anyone else could actually turn the airline around - there are so many factors beyond their control - saying 'they should have bought 777s' is not going to fix anything.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.  Unfortunately it is not something people in AJ's position can rely on.  Men in his position need to return profits and growth somewhat consistently while maintiaing market value.  Not an enviable role.

Absolutely, AJ has a tough job. But his strategy changes every few months. All the things happening in airline industry are not new and when he grounded the airline in 2012 he needed to have a strategy in place to 'turn things around'. Remembering that his plan was for QFi to turn a profit by next year (off my memory), and that won't happen.

QF management needs fresh eyes (same could be said about  some QF unions too). It needs to re-engage with its workforce and its customers.

It needs to be the inspiration it once was to Australia.

Ok, whipper is definitely not right in saying that financial performance has not been bad. Accounting profits are not economic profits, and you only need to look at the share price to realise this. As a financial analyst it is ludicrous to state that Qantas's performance has been anything but terrible.

Having said that, woganfan, that is no different to Telstra again, with its consistently underperforming share price. The point that smit0847 is making is key - sure, its all bad, but why is it AJ's fault? Would someone else do better?

There's too much standard left wing CEO bashing in the media whenever people are laid off and CEOs are still getting paid millions.

Agree that lefties in the media do bash the people at the top.  But that is the position they are in and I'm sure AJ has a thick skin.  The restructuring he has announced is no doubt key to survival.  My point is not some kind of socialist workers agenda. 

Sure, but I think we have a new rule, seeing as I've seen many many people in Ausbt Q&A and comments calling for AJ's head:

You must come up with a plausible, achieveable plan which is demonstrably better than his.

there are two groups...those who 'USE' QANTAS (as a means to an end)...and those who are LOYAL to QANTAS....guess who does most of the whinging when things 'change'!!

... i'm happy to remain LOYAL

undertheradar,

So you suggest that "Loyalty" is not a function of Frequency of Use?

If Frequency of Use is not a measure of Loyalty, then what is?

At what point would that measure for Loyalty be a measure of being a doormat?

I'm with UTR on this one. 

High frequency flyers aren't necessarily loyal to an airline. The Virgin and Etihad status match deals are clear indicators of this. 

I consider myself a loyal Qantas customer - I'll take the good with the bad and will do my best to ensure that I fly on Qantas metal wherever possible. 

To suggest that anyone showing loyalty to Qantas (or any other brand for that matter) is an indicator of stupidity is quite offensive...

Blind loyalty = irrational  behaviour. Blind loyalty does NOT equate to stupidity. The Oxford dictionary defines doormat to mean "A submissive person who allows others to dominate them".  Submissive not stupid. 

My point  is merely to demonstrate that you cannot separate frequency from loyalty as one is the function of the other. 

This move by Qantas has nothing to do with getting people to loyally fly on Qantas metal  (not that they can go very far on Qantas metal anymore!) but has everything to do with ensuring QFF, who wish to attain/retain status steer clear away from OW and fly instead on QF coded EK flights. 

putting it in 'laymans' terms...QFF will be more focussed on pax that ACTUALLY FLY QF METAL...im not gonna get into online  'argy bargy'...i'm remaining a TRUE LOYAL QFFer as the QANTAS BRANDED AIRLINE transitions into a leaner business 

your 'doormat' is my 'welcome mat'