Qantas 2009 Annual Report Download - page 25

Japan: Withdrawal of Melbourne-Tokyo
services and reduction in Sydney-Tokyo
frequencies from 10 to seven per week.
Replaced by Jetstar on Cairns-Tokyo routes.
New Zealand: Replaced by Jetstar on
domestic New Zealand services from 10 June
2009, but increased trans-Tasman frequencies,
integrating with a rescheduled daily Auckland-
Los Angeles service to provide connection to
Qantas’ daily service to New York.
South Africa: Increase from fi ve to six
return fl ights per week between Sydney and
Johannesburg.
South America: Non-stop Sydney-Buenos
Aires services launched in November 2008, with
three services per week using B747-400 aircraft.
United States: Reduction from 17 to 14
return Sydney-Los Angeles services per week and
reduction in Honolulu frequencies from four to
three per week.
Product and Service
Qantas continued to roll out its new Premium
Economy cabin, which is now available on most
long haul services from Sydney and Melbourne.
The introduction of the fl agship A380
underpinned a broader reinvention of Qantas’
infl ight product offering – from the seats and
curtains to the crockery and cutlery – inspired by
Qantas Creative Director and world-renowned
industrial designer Marc Newson. Customer
research shows satisfaction with the A380 is very
high at 84 per cent.
From late 2009, new B737-800 aircraft with
Marc Newson-styled seats and in-seat infl ight
entertainment will progressively be introduced on
services from Sydney and Melbourne to Auckland.
Pre-purchase of exit row seats for selected
Qantas international fl ights was introduced in
June 2009.
Qantas is relocating to Terminal 3 at London
Heathrow in October 2009 with a new shared
British Airways Lounge available for First and
Business customers, Platinum and Gold Frequent
Flyers and all Qantas Club members.
The Centre of Service Excellence opened in
Sydney in December 2008: a dedicated facility
to host learning and development programs.
By July 2009, nearly 6,000 Qantas employees
had participated in the Centre’s eXceptional
service training.
And on 22 August 2009, Qantas launched a
new version of the long-running and successful
‘I Still Call Australia Home’ advertising campaign,
featuring three Australian children’s choirs.
DOMESTIC
Qantas’ domestic business performed solidly over
the full year, despite network disruption in the
early weeks of 2008/09 as a result of the industrial
action by licensed engineers and increasingly
soft demand for corporate travel in the fi nal
two quarters.
The Group continued to adjust its fl ying to
allocate the right aircraft to the right routes,
with Jetstar complementing or replacing Qantas
services in domestic leisure markets such as Cairns
and the Gold Coast.
Qantas stimulated passenger demand with
reductions in, and then the full removal of, fuel
surcharges on domestic services in January 2009
and a major ‘Domestic Bliss’ fare sale in February
2009. These measures kept volumes in line
with capacity.
In May 2009, Qantas supported a national
campaign – ‘AllofAus’ – inviting Australians to
describe what the Australian spirit means to them.
Network Developments
The phased retirement of B747-300 aircraft
from Perth-Melbourne/Sydney domestic fl ying
commenced in July 2008 and was completed
by December 2008. New Airbus A330 aircraft
were added to those routes from July 2008. As a
result, on-time performance on these routes has
improved by between nine and 13 per cent.
Perth-Port Hedland services were upgraded
to larger B737 services and a twice-weekly
Kalgoorlie-Adelaide service was introduced in
March 2009.
In response to economic conditions, capacity
was reduced on Sydney-Brisbane, Sydney-
Melbourne and Adelaide-Melbourne routes in the
second half of the year. Qantas withdrew its twice-
weekly Melbourne-Uluru services in August 2008.
Jetstar commenced Cairns-Perth services and
increased Gold Coast services.
Product
New Domestic Business Lounges for Business
passengers and Platinum Frequent Flyers opened
in Sydney Terminal 3, Brisbane, Melbourne and
Canberra, offering increased privacy, hot meals
and improved business services.
Awards Received
– Australian International Design Award 2009 for the A380 Economy Seat
– Best Long Haul Airline, 2009 ULTRAS (UK Daily Telegraph)
– Best Airline Australasia, 2009 Skytrax World Airline Awards
– Aviation Category, Condé Nast Traveller Innovation and Design Awards 2009 for A380 design
– Best Airline Accessory, Cutlery for Qantas, Wallpaper Design Award 2009
Captain Elyse Fordham
and the late Nancy-Bird
Walton at the naming
ceremony for the
first Qantas A380 in
September 2008.
23 Qantas Annual Report 2009