Jetconnect

For the low-cost arm of Indian carrier Jet Airways, see JetKonnect.
Jetconnect
IATA ICAO Callsign
QNZ[1] QANTAS
Founded July 2002
Commenced operations October 2002
Operating bases
Frequent-flyer program Qantas Frequent Flyer
Airport lounge Qantas Club
Alliance Oneworld (affiliate)
Fleet size 8
Destinations 7
Company slogan Spirit of Australia
Parent company Qantas (100%)
Headquarters Auckland, New Zealand

Jetconnect is a wholly owned subsidiary airline of Qantas that is based in Auckland, New Zealand. It was established in July 2002, commencing operations in October the same year. It operates trans-Tasman services between New Zealand and Australia under the Qantas brand. It employs crew based in New Zealand and operates aircraft registered in New Zealand. It also operated domestic services within New Zealand until these services were taken over by Jetstar Airways, another Qantas subsidiary, on 10 June 2009. Its main base is Auckland Airport.[2]

Jetconnect also employs long haul cabin crew who operate on Qantas mainline long haul services from Australia. These crew are based in Auckland. From the first half of 2014, they began operating on selected Qantas mainline Boeing 737-800 trans-Tasman services under a "partial base integration" initiative.

Destinations

International short-haul

Jetconnect operates almost all Qantas-marketed flights from Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and Wellington to Australian east coast destinations. Jetconnect currently operates the following flights:[3]

In addition to flights operated by Jetconnect, Qantas mainline operates seasonal flights from Auckland to Perth, Queenstown to Brisbane and Queenstown to Melbourne. Brisbane to Wellington and Christchurch. Melbourne to Christchurch and Auckland are also operated.

Domestic

Jetconnect operated domestic flights in New Zealand until 9 June 2009. The final domestic service was QF2728 from Wellington to Auckland operated by 737-300 ZK-JNC. Domestic services included routes between Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua, Christchurch and Queenstown.[4] Services between Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and Wellington have been replaced with Jetstar services. Services to Rotorua were discontinued.[5]

Fleet

Jetconnect Boeing 737-800 at Sydney Airport
Jetconnect Boeing 737-300 at Sydney Airport in original livery without the "Spirit of Australia" slogan (this aircraft has since been retired)

Jetconnect operates a fleet of eight Boeing 737-800s registered in New Zealand but in Qantas livery. All Jetconnect aircraft have AVOD (Audio-Visual On Demand) installed, giving passengers access to a wide range of in-flight entertainment options in their seats from gate to gate. As of August 2016 the Jetconnect fleet consists of the following aircraft:[1]

Current Jetconnect fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers
J Y Total
Boeing 737-800
8
—
12
162
174
Total
8
—

Industrial relations

On 17 May 2006, the union representing Australian Qantas pilots, the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA), lodged an application to the Australian industrial relations commission Fair Work Australia, seeking to alter its eligibility rules to enable the enrolment of Jetconnect pilots in the union. On 23 May 2007 the commission ruled against the union, declining to consider the question, considering it inappropriate for the AIPA to be able to enrol New Zealand–based Jetconnect pilots, as they were already eligible to be members of the New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association.[6]

In December 2009 the AIPA took Jetconnect parent Qantas to Fair Work Australia, accusing the company of deliberately driving down wages and conditions, by undermining the spirit and intent of the Australian Fair Work Act.[7] The AIPA accused Qantas of paying Jetconnect pilots 40 percent less than Qantas pilots, who six months earlier had been flying the majority of the airline's trans-Tasman services.[8] Qantas was confident that it would win the case, stating: "These are New Zealand pilots operating New Zealand-originated services flying New Zealand-registered aircraft operated by a New Zealand entity".[9]

In May 2010 Fair Work Australia president Justice Geoffrey Giudice agreed to convene a full bench to hear the application,[7] and in July 2010 the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) was granted leave to intervene in the case after the ACTU argued that the outcome would have major ramifications for labour hire practice in Australia.[10][11] The ACTU made its final submission regarding the case in March 2011;[12] and in a majority decision handed down in September 2011 Fair Work Australia dismissed the AIPA's application.[13]

In June 2011 the ABC program Hungry Beast produced a parody television advertisement for Qantas, highlighting the use of Jetconnect for its trans-Tasman flights.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2016): 22.
  2. ↑ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 98.
  3. ↑ http://www.qantas.com.au/flightinfo/qf_pdfTimetable.pdf
  4. ↑ Qantas Fact File. Jetconnect information is on Page 5, NZ Domestic route information is on Page 34. Retrieved: 18 November 2008.
  5. ↑ Bradley, Grant (17 February 2009). "Jetstar offering $1 fares for NZ debut". New Zealand Herald.
  6. ↑ Australian Industrial Relations Commission (23 May 2007). "Application by the Australian and International Pilots Association (D2006/58) - s.158(1) RAO Schedule - Application for alteration of eligibility rules". airc.gov.au. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  7. 1 2 Ewin Hannan (22 May 2010). "Qantas to face court over NZ pay levels". The Australian. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  8. ↑ AAP (21 December 2009). "Qantas pays JetConnect Kiwi pilots '40 per cent less'". The Australian. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  9. ↑ Ewin Hannan (21 December 2009). "Pilots union to launch legal action to fight for Kiwi pay equality". The Australian. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  10. ↑ AAP (27 July 2010). "Qantas offshoring pilot jobs to NZ: ACTU". The Age. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  11. ↑ Ben Schneiders (27 July 2010). "Offshore job deals to be put to test". The Age. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  12. ↑ Steve Creedy (18 March 2011). "ACTU hits out over Qantas offshore jobs". The Australian. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  13. ↑ "DECISION: Australian and International Pilots Association v Qantas Airways Limited and Jetconnect Limited". Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  14. ↑ "Jetconnect". Hungry Beast. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
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