There is so much talk that QF would no longer be Australian if foreign airlines/interests were allowed to take a greater or majority share.

There is so much talk that QF would no longer be Australian if foreign airlines/interests were allowed to take a greater or majority share. Is KLM any less Dutch since Air France took it? Is Swiss any less Swiss since Lufthansa took it over?

I dispute your assessment of AF/KL - they merged their operations but retained both their brands and AMS/CDG hubs. Swiss obviously got taken over, but European airlines are generally smaller and subject to much fiercer competition than Qantas Domestic, so a 'takeover' is probably not needed.

But if Qantas Domestic remains highly profitable, selling part of it might do well, and a lessening of restrictions on that would be good.

watson374, haven't you just agreed with crosscourt regarding KL/AF?  What exactly are you disputing?

That AF 'took over' KL. It was a mutually agreed merger. I'm being pedantic.

In the same way BA and IB were mergers? ;) ;)

merger in name... AF was the kingpin

Maintain the Qantas name and brand,seperate the International operation from Domestic.Base it in AKL or off shore and or may be do the Jetconnect thing.AJ says Jetconnect is profitable,no union liked it but it works. I am not only confident AJ and his team are looking at this or similar as it would further reduce the cost base and greatly reduce labor costs.Even with the wage freeze pilots and flight attendants specifically, not to menchion engineers are still the highest paid in the world-and then again you will get a huge money grab in 12 mounths when the freeze is over.

I put it out there that i want to continue to fly Qantas into the future,i am not saying this is the answer.However if you fly Qantas trans tasman its just the same or better than the standard regular experience. 

crosscourt you are absolutely right. Some politicians and the unions are preying on the ignorance of the general public. The key in the QSA are the provisions to keep certain Qantas activities in Australia. Some politicians and unions do not want that to happen (loss of jobs in Australia) and so are happy to feed the ignorance of the public through a strategy of fear, romance and jingoism. 

Agreed.

Forget the QSA it will it will not be arround  soon and is killing a great airline....Please tell me how they make it work

The only way Qantas Intl can survive is to help it compete with the foreign airlines and that includes things like helping with depreciation, airport charge, and allowing more offshoring of maintenance and pilot and FA bases. It will however always be managed, controlled from Australia and have a kangaroo on the tail.

For domestic operations I have the reverse viewpoint. Jobs and the aviation sector are important. So the government should mandate ALL domestic airlines (including Qantas Dom, Jetstar Dom, Virgin Aus and Tiger Aus) conduct the bulk/all of their line/ heavy maintenance in Australia.  Yes it will cost us all a few more $$s per flight but it will ensure equality domestically.