Best of 2012, #7: Qantas in the Headlines
Here at Business Review Australia, we like to aggregate a wide selection of news stories and feature contributions that may range from national and global headlines and market trend analysis, to business tips and those “Only in Australia” types of stories (spider inhabitation, Apple Maps fiascos and marijuana use, oh my!)
As our farewell to 2012, over the next couple weeks, we will re-release the Top 10 stories and trending topics that grabbed your attention across our website, magazines and social platforms. Enjoy!
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Qantas makes the news often enough to break anyone’s Top 10 story list, but with job cuts, an ongoing battle with rival carrier Virgin Australia, a suspended partnership with Tourism Australia and the threat of erasing the Flying Kangaroo from the skies altogether, 2012 has been a particularly headline-grabbing year for the airline.
According to Sky News, the outlook for 2013 is too much cheerier: a lack of growth in passenger numbers has resulted in fallen revenue seat factors (calculated by the number of passengers flown and the distance they flew).
“While we still expect that Qantas retains the lion's share of premium travel, the subdued economic environment on the east coast, partnered with the uncertainty in the mining states, will result in continued pressure on the demand side and ultimately yields,” Macquarie analysts Russell Shaw and David McGregor said in a research note the October monthly operating statistics, Sky News reported.
“Commentary around cutbacks in major mining houses and even government expenditure only adds to the challenges facing mainline domestic's underlying operating trends.”
