Monthly Archives: September 2001

From what has been happening, it sounds like Air New
Zealand had been siphoning money out of Ansett by charging fuel
and catering costs against the airline and possibly doing so
after it knew Ansett was bankrupt. This has caused Ansett
workers to call for a boycott of Air NZ, which the NZ PM doesn’t
like much.

To save money, the .au Government allowed the
two domestic airlines (Qantas/Australian Airlines and
Ansett) to build the air terminals themselves. At almost
every domestic airport in australia, you will see a Qantas
half and an Ansett half (usually with different
architecture, etc). Separate checkins, separate bagage
collection, separate arival/departure gates, etc. Now half
of every domestic air terminal is left closed. Those people
who happened to own shops inside an Ansett terminal can’t
open for business. I really hope some of the smaller
airlines (such as Virgin) will finally be allowed to use
Ansett’s space in the domestic terminals, which will allow
them to compete more evenly than before (before they often
had to use other buildings round the airport or the
international airport terminals).

The ACCC is going to toughen
the rules for airlines so that this change doesn’t make
it even more difficult for new airlines to break into the
business.

In news on the Tampa refugees, the courts
are going to rule on the Government’s apeal today.

It is really sad hearing so many people in the US out for
blood (I have no way to tell how many people feel this way
— the internet+media can give a very skewed perspective on
things). The terrorists killed many innocent people in the
WTC, most likely because of issues they had with the US
govenment and foreign policy. If the US turns around and
kills innocent Palestinians or Afgahns (or where ever they
happen to be based) in order to get the terrorists, that
would be just as bad an act of terrorism.

In local news, Ansett has stopped
flying, which means the only interstate domestic airline
serving Perth now is Qantas. I hope the ACCC keeps air fares in
check.

It seems that even though Judge North ruled
in favour of the Tampa refugees, they are still going to
Nauru until the government is finished apealing the
judgement. I don’t know anyone who approves of how the
government treats boat people.