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Qantas sees red for new premium airline

written by australianaviation.com.au | September 13, 2011
Our best guess of how a RedQ A320neo could look.

RedQ, RedQ Executive Express, RedSky and OneAsia are just some of the names that Qantas is considering for its new Asia based premium airline, Fairfax media reports have revealed.

While Qantas is yet to make a firm decision on which name to go with, the airline has lodged a number of trademark applications for the new names, with ‘RedQ’ looking to be the most likely option. However, Virgin Australia could oppose the attempt by Qantas to trademark RedQ, given the similarity to its charity foundation, ‘Red Jet’.

Qantas’s premium airline is expected to operate some of the up to 110 Airbus A320 Family aircraft the airline recently announced orders for, to operate from an as yet undecided Asian hub location.

“It will have a lie-flat business bed in the business cabin, better than on the A380s, and it will have an economy class better than on the A380s with a very exclusive private jet feel to it and we think it’s exactly what our corporate market and business market is after,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce told the www.businessspectator.com.au website in a recent interview of the new airline’s planned product offering.

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Comments (24)

  • Brett

    says:

    The way Qantas Management are treating their staff and customers lately, the name Far Q may be more appropriate.

  • Steve

    says:

    Alan Joyce will probably celebrate the naming by giving himself a million dollar raise

  • John

    says:

    For the life of me I can’t understand Mr Joyce and Cos thinking. They would be far better off trying to put QFs international routes to rights than messing around with an Asia offshoot. There again, I think he (Mr Joyce)
    does not wants to do anything that might get Qantas back to where it should be in Airline World Standings.

  • Damian

    says:

    AA you should make the winglets red.

  • Ron

    says:

    Good one Brett!

  • Alan

    says:

    Funny Brett, but in all fairness the legacy airlines once again face great challenges globally and they will have to continue to evolve their products to stay up with the game. A push into Asia has merit, and like other business sectors of Qantas such as Qantaslink and Jetstar, Qantas will only survive with the continued profitability of the sectors. Qantas International is not competitive, nor likely to be in its current state and must be completely reviewed to maitian its legacy. The A380 and B787 alone will not save it. Start from the top, with the obscene CEO and Board payments, and bring in people with true vision and dedication.

  • Tony

    says:

    RedQ, RedSky? How about RedTube?

  • Tony

    says:

    Funny how the proposed livery looks like a close derivative of the Qantas colour scheme. Perhaps they should call it ‘Claytons Airlines’ – the Qantas you have have when you are trying to pretend it’s not Qantas.

  • Peter

    says:

    Very good Alan but do keep in mind that Qantas has been around for ninety years and I believe the second commercial airline to hit the skies, after K.L.M., also that the flying kangaroo is the fourth most recognized LOGO in the world ….!!!, Red Q, Red Sky or One Asia just don`t cut it and the sooner Qantas share holders dump Alan Joyce and his board the better.

  • australianaviation.com.au

    says:

    @ Tony – that image is just our guess of how the livery could look – it is certainly not an official Qantas image.

  • Redundant

    says:

    Pffft! I can just imagine some QF board meeting in QCA commencing with “I reject your reality and substitute with my own” as the Qantasia mantra. I just don’t see how this change in direction and focus off the Australian market by Qantas is going to work and is somehow going to lead to the prosperity of the Group by ‘repatriating’ profit back to Australia. Not a legitimate way to run a business. With apologies to Adam Savage/Mythbusters, but I think it has a context here.

  • craig

    says:

    the name should be out of q or q offshore because that is how qantas treats south australia travellers never did they think of our state for international travel they left it for asian carriers to grow direct flights instead of going through the eastern states

  • Glen

    says:

    How about “Red Rover”? With Joyce at the helm it’s all over for Qantas. You’re a joke Joyce!

  • Barry

    says:

    Wasn’t Joyce at Ansett when it met its demise? Hmmmmm.

  • Cooper

    says:

    There’s a reason they have not invested in qantas international. A good amount of qf mainline flight attendants are on an old contract earning over $100,000 a year. Obscene when v Australia pays as little as $36,000. Someone needs to do a service survey in the 767 service to hawaii with qf. Disgusting. Rude old and overpaid flight attendants. And this is comin from an ex qf employee!!!

  • Ray

    says:

    How about ‘Borghetti Air’ after the CEO that Qantas never had

  • Chris

    says:

    Why not just call it “QANTAS” and tell the unions any anyone else who complains to get stuffed!

  • hugo

    says:

    The move to create another Qantas Airline in Asia is a smart move, lets face it if Qantas International was so great Australians would back it , but clearly that isnt the case cause Australians like any others always go for the cheapest airfare or pay alittle more for good service in my case EMIRATES.

    I love how everyone on here derides the CEO Joyce, get over it and I hope the unions do too cause if the union continues to push the Aviation industry like it does QANTAS in Australia will be no more and thats a fact. Thats one thing I have always found the aviation unions always wanting more more,

    I mean look at those pilots wanting 1st class tickets for them and there families ridculous, they should be happy they are getting the money they are getting and if they dont like piss off and get another job and that goes for the staff no one forces you to stay in the job.

  • Mark

    says:

    Although the move is not popular, I still think they should stick with a name that is well known throughout the world, so why not use Qantas Asia, similar to KLM’s thinking with KLM Asia? Top Comment Brett…GOLD!!!

  • B. Wallace

    says:

    QF International will never regain their deserved Best Airline in Asia standing of many years ago. Reason…… staff actions and attitudes inflight (towards pax) exhibit the low-level ‘lazy faire’? performance of some near -ASIA operators. Like— ”bugger the pax, lets get back to the galley and catch-up a bit”. Like 10 to 20 min. delay after call button activation. And no cabin service at the 1st sign of a bump. And bitchy females taking-out their personal feelings on pax who dare to request a drink within 3o min. of meal service. Give me SIA every time. You know they fire underperforming staff who make no attempt to improve after counselling! Maybe QANTAS could learn a bit from our neighbours, if supervisors would be listened to…. just once.

  • AnthonyBee

    says:

    Really well said hugo! I love how I have to listen to all my friends and family go on and on with Aussie pride about their beloved Aussie carrier QANTAS of which they havent flown with for the past 6 years, choosing Tiger or Virgin everytime unless they’ve saved up enough points through their everyday rewards card and credit card purchases to discount a ticket with QANTAS.

    QANTAS was and still is a great airline, but it goes to show that their services are no longer worth the price with poor customer service, ageing fleet and ageing, overpaid cabin staff. I think Alan Joyces’ decision making is paramount to the airlines future success, and change is exactly whats needed because simply flying the kangaroo is not keeping bums on seats any longer.

    So family and friends listen to hugo (as above) if you think your Aussie international airline is sooo great and true blue, get a QF ticket and save your airline that way or be at peace and allow Alan to save it himself.

  • Adrian Griffiths

    says:

    Full service, high cost airlines such as Qantas, and most legacy airlines of North America and Europe, have been struggling to compete with Asian airlines for a decade. The reason, of course, is the stark differences in operating costs. Only Qantas’ venture into Jetstar and its Asian offshoots has saved this famous brand from the boneyard.

    Many European airlines such as Alitalia, Olympic and Lufthansa have pulled their Australian services over recent times because they need to use an Asian airport as a stopover. Once the long-range B787s come on-line, Qantas mainline and European operators will be able to fly direct to many European cities, and not have to compete with Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific etc. on those routes. Maybe then, will the balance of power will return to Qantas International.

    Until then, the Qantas board must be congratulated for its vision by tapping further into the rapidly expanding Asian market, and keeping the flying kangaroo from extinction.

  • Daniel

    says:

    I think it’s a shame to see such a reputable airline suffer because of changing consumer tastes and preferences. I’m currently embarking on the HSC and my dream is to one day work for Qantas in the fields of network planning or route analysis, although that’s becoming more and more unrealistic.

    Above all the issues the airline is facing, I think the key to remaining a reputable airline is being innovative. Instead of moving routes to Hong Kong, perhaps focus on areas of stronghold, particularly in their international network where more seats can be filled and create more efficiency per flight. With their current fleet, it isn’t easy to compete with the low cost carriers such as Virgin Australia who have moved to more efficient aircraft such as the Embraer 170’s and 190’s whilst Qantas still operate aircraft over 20 years old like the Boeing 737-400. Rising fuel prices and slowing consumer demand for higher-class airlines should have been an indication to undergo structural change at least five years ago.

    The problem with the airline is they’re facing a downward spiral with a bad media image brought about by incidents both on and off the ground. In order to remain a successful airline as a whole they need to undergo dramatic structural change, particularly with elements of their fleet and not spending money in areas that are irrelevant or have no cause. Even in Hong Kong, there are constant competitive pressures with extremely low-cost carriers that will make it hard for “Red Q/One Asia/Red Sky” to be successful.

    Qantas can still remain “The Spirit of Australia” but only through a critical analysis of the airline’s current performance and what lies ahead for the future. It’s about being an airline for the people whom you serve and belong to, making it more appealing to be one’s airline of choice.

    Loyalty, fair treatment of employees, and moving ahead with the changing nature of today’s society (rising fuel prices, increased awareness of global warming, and changing consumer demands) are the key elements to keeping the Qantas, “The Spirit of Australia”, alive.

    Thanks

  • QF Pilot

    says:

    Yes Barry he was at Ansett when it met its demise

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