Dustin Hoffman might not fly again.

[Shannow]

QANTAS, suffering from a 40% increase in profit due to the increase in fuel prices have decided to lay off 1,500 workers.

http://news.theage.com.au/national/qantas-cuts-1500-jobs-20080718-3h73.html

Fuel is up...profits are up 40% this year alone to just over $1B Oz (that's nearly $1B US)...obviously there is a need to cut just over 4% of their staff to "protect the great majority of over 36,000 jobs and enable us to grow profitably when conditions improve"

In the meantime, they've got orders of $35B of aircraft committed.

But they ARE going to be Prius like, and sniff only tiny quantities of tax free aviation fuel.

 

[Johnny]

Okay, I guess I'm getting old and cannot read between the lines like I use to. I read this article and would like to know what it has to do with Dustin Hoffman.

 

[Shannow]

Johnny,
sorry I thought it may appeal to our resident movie quote man...who shall reveal himself later I think.

Rain Man used to quote QANTAS safety stats, and was played by Dustin Hoffman.

Funny that Oz's industries are privatised, and making 40% profit increases, while banking sectors in other countries are being nationalised.

 

[Johnny]

Well, like I said, I'm getting old. I did not put the two together and that's one of my favorite movies.

 

[Shannow]

Johnny, I was happy with myself for making a movie reference these days.

I'm so out of the loop WRT movies.

 

[jarvk22]

BORING.

 

[Gary Allan]

You were too cryptic ....if you had said Rainman would approve..

 

[Benzadmiral]

"I hate QANTAS . . ."

Remember who said that?

 

[frank2009]

A koala bear. I need to get out more!

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: frank2009
A koala bear. I need to get out more!


Yeah, the koala in the Qantas commercials in (I think) the '70s. Said in that whiny, fussy voice that went so perfectly with the fussy expression koalas have anyway.

(Why get out more? It's hot and crowded.)

 

[Silk]

An old school mate of mine has been with Qantas for over 30 years,he'll walk out of there a very rich man.

 

[andyd]

Dustin Hoffman? Dubya Tee Eff Mate? Then I was thinking mebbe the Aussies think DH looks like a koala? Well, he kinda does.. Sad eyes, handog expression. The Rainman allusion went right over my head too. I just learned something. I'll look for it next time I see it.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: jarvk22
BORING.


UH-OH!

 

[Shannow]

Ooops...

When I was in Uni, the MechSoc (Mechanical Engineer's Society) T Shirt for the year ahead of mine was titled "Preventing Boeings form Blowing", in reference to our Uni doing some FE work around cargo hatches.

Not a cargo hatch, but pretty freakin' scary for those on board

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jxyX1ei-Q9tDvFsqsNqpLMebz5IQ

Quote:
Qantas jumbo lands with 'gaping hole' in fuselage

1 hour ago

MANILA (AFP) — A Qantas Boeing 747 flying to Melbourne made an emergency landing in Manila on Friday after a dramatic mid-air rupture that left a "gaping hole" in its fuselage, officials and passengers said.

Stunned passengers reported how the jumbo, which had taken off from London and stopped in Hong Kong, plunged 20,000 feet (6,000) metres in what one said was an "absolutely terrifying" ordeal.

An urgent investigation is underway into what punched a hole of about three metres (10 feet) in diameter into the fuselage near the right wing.

A Qantas spokeswoman said the plane, carrying 346 passengers and 19 crew, was now undergoing an inspection on the ground in Manila, where luggage could be clearly seen jutting out of the hole.

"There was a terrific boom, and bits of wood and debris just flew forward into first (class) and the oxygen masks dropped down," June Kane, a passenger from Melbourne, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"We were told that one of the rear doors, a hole had blown into it, but I've since looked at the plane and there's a gigantic gaping hole in the plane."


Doesn't look like impact damage at all.

Qantas have come a long way since privatisation. Things almost crashing all over the place.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
Qantas have come a long way since privatization. Things almost crashing all over the place.


It's considered an advancement in commerce. If they didn't "almost crash" ...then how would they know when they reached the most economical mode of operation

?

 

[andyd]

the old saying must still apply " Every landing you walk away from is a good one"

 

[Shannow]

Profits up 40 plus percent.

Qantas have been crying poormouth over the fuel prices, begging for increases in the "fuel surcharge", sacking staff, sending their maintenance to Asia, and have nearly perfected the art of "nearly crashing" (two serious incidents a week in recent weeks).

Today...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121929402566459809.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Quote:
Australia's largest airline increased net profit for the year ended June 30 by 44% to a record 969 million Australian dollars (US$845.3 million) from A$672.8 million a year ago



BTW, looks like $190M of that could be being paid by the US taxpayer, and $100M by the French.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-01-18-qantas-787_N.htm

 

[crinkles]

the world is a sad sad place and the only way to beat the bad feelings hwen reading this is to buy shares so you can get a cut too....

now qantas share price has gone nowehere for quite a while and they are known as more of a divident payer than captical growth share. all the cutting they are doing is to make more profit period. it's not fair but that's what they do.

I just won't fly qantas soon again anyway, but virgin blue ain't much better.

 

[Aldaris]

Originally Posted By: crinkles
the world is a sad sad place and the only way to beat the bad feelings hwen reading this is to buy shares so you can get a cut too....
except when you buy the shares, they sink like a wiseguy being disposed of in the ocean. That's how XOM's been behaving.