Perhaps one of the most cryptic airlines in the sky in our part of the world is Jetconnect. Although a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas, not a great deal of information exists about it, its past, or its future.

I'm hoping to provoke a conversation about it's past. How did it become the interesting operation it is today?

JetConnect was started in 2002 by Qantas to operate Domestic Flights within New Zealand, following the collapse of there franchise called "Qantas New Zealand" which was operated by Tasman Pacific Airlines, who before that was Ansett New Zealand. They mainly flew domestic services with ex-AN 733s, then later ex QF 733/734s, an picked up some Tasman routes. In 2009 JQ took over the Domestic Operation, and JetConnect took on all the Tasman routes.

Today JetConnect is an really an company on paper, and not much more. They have an 9x 738s registered in there name on an New Zealand operators Certificate.

Basically JetConnect is an shell company that employed New Zealand bassed crew who operate the 738s, and also contracted to provide crew to QF long-haul services.

In the mid-2000s NZ also did the same started an company called Zeal 320 Ltd to operate there A320 services.

Also…Qantas put the Jetconnect Aircraft on the NZ Register in order to be able to employ their crews (both Tech Crew and Cabin Crew) on NZ Industrial Awards rather than crew them with the far more expensive Australian contracts. Air NZ did the same with the formation of ZEAL 320 to undercut the Air NZ domestic/shorthaul rates of pay, which were themselves lower than the equivalent Australian rates. It was a win for both airlines - not so good for their staff!

Interestingly, there a few trans-Tasman flights which are operated by QF Mainline, and not Jetconnect.

Recently introduced BNE-CHC 4x weekly has so far operated by VH registered aircraft. Also, some BNE-AKL services are being operated by VH aircraft (QF126 on 9/7 and looks like today's service as well). However, this year's seasonal BNE-ZQN appears to be operated by ZK aircraft. I don't believe this was the case in previous years.

TruemanQLD wrote:

Interestingly, there a few trans-Tasman flights which are operated by QF Mainline, and not Jetconnect.

Recently introduced BNE-CHC 4x weekly has so far operated by VH registered aircraft. Also, some BNE-AKL services are being operated by VH aircraft (QF126 on 9/7 and looks like today's service as well). However, this year's seasonal BNE-ZQN appears to be operated by ZK aircraft. I don't believe this was the case in previous years.

VH aircraft are used, to supplement the ZK fleet during the sessional increases. The JetConnect Crew can operate both ZK/VH registered aircraft, so it can be an VH aircraft with JetConnect Crew.

https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=80281

Have an look at this thread from 2001, it was from the end of Qantas New Zealand and the beginning of what is now JetConnect.

If only they had ended up with brand new 717s, I wonder how different things would be today?

After all Jetstar flying Q300s around New Zealand wasn't the Qantas Groups first attemp with TurboProps in New Zealand.

zkncj wrote:

https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=80281

Have an look at this thread from 2001, it was from the end of Qantas New Zealand and the beginning of what is now JetConnect.

If only they had ended up with brand new 717s, I wonder how different things would be today?

After all Jetstar flying Q300s around New Zealand wasn't the Qantas Groups first attemp with TurboProps in New Zealand.

That is an interesting thread from 2001! I do believe that even if QF introduced B717s here, JQ would still have taken over with their lower cost base. Yes QF would have gone all economy with B738s and would have made more sense for QF Link compared to JQ Q300s, but the JQ A320s seat more then what QF would have fitted. Having JQ flying here also gives QF Group the option of easily adding A321s if required.

https://www.facebook.com/qfsecrets/videos/1659437590995919/



The Jetconnect Video

zkncj wrote:

TruemanQLD wrote:

Interestingly, there a few trans-Tasman flights which are operated by QF Mainline, and not Jetconnect.

Recently introduced BNE-CHC 4x weekly has so far operated by VH registered aircraft. Also, some BNE-AKL services are being operated by VH aircraft (QF126 on 9/7 and looks like today's service as well). However, this year's seasonal BNE-ZQN appears to be operated by ZK aircraft. I don't believe this was the case in previous years.

VH aircraft are used, to supplement the ZK fleet during the sessional increases. The JetConnect Crew can operate both ZK/VH registered aircraft, so it can be an VH aircraft with JetConnect Crew.

Thanks, I did not know that. I would assume with a flight like QF BNE-CHC that it is operated by QF Australian crew though, just given the scheduling.

BNE 0810 CHC 1335
CHC 1435 BNE 1630

Assuming that is one crew operating both legs. If they were to use an NZ crew you would have to overnight crew at some point...

Hi Everyone,

I think you will find that us Australian based QF crew operate quiet a few Tasman services daily and seasonally;
QF171/172 MEL-WLG-MEL Rtn duty
QF151/152 MEL-AKL-MEL overnight
QF181/182 SYD-ZQN-SYD Rtn duty
QF137/136 SYD-CHC-SYD Rtn duty
QF135/134 BNE-CHC-BNE Rtn Duty
QF123/126 BNE-AKL-BNE Rthn duty
QF111/112 PER-AKL-PER overnight

JetConnect haven't always been trained on B738 aircraft, up until the GFC, they were passengers across the ditch to operate long haul out of Australia. JetConnect crew are not trained on A330 aircraft, and cannot operate on VH rego B738's.

JQflightie wrote:

JetConnect haven't always been trained on B738 aircraft, up until the GFC, they were passengers across the ditch to operate long haul out of Australia. JetConnect crew are not trained on A330 aircraft, and cannot operate on VH rego B738's.

God that would have been a lot of paxing back and forth, would have driven me nuts!

They must have some interesting and different trips, are they on the A380, 744, and 738? Why not the A330s? How many Kiwi crew per wide body, or only the 4/5 that operate over from NZ? What do the Jetconnect CSMs do? Only short haul? Interesting, I wonder how much of a cost savings they offer QF with their lower wages?

Jetconnect also staff the call centre based in Auckland

smi0006 wrote:

JQflightie wrote:

JetConnect haven't always been trained on B738 aircraft, up until the GFC, they were passengers across the ditch to operate long haul out of Australia. JetConnect crew are not trained on A330 aircraft, and cannot operate on VH rego B738's.

God that would have been a lot of paxing back and forth, would have driven me nuts!

They must have some interesting and different trips, are they on the A380, 744, and 738? Why not the A330s? How many Kiwi crew per wide body, or only the 4/5 that operate over from NZ? What do the Jetconnect CSMs do? Only short haul? Interesting, I wonder how much of a cost savings they offer QF with their lower wages?

Firstly there are 2 lots of JC crew... Short haul and Long haul. Short haul do their own thing (ZK planes, ZK tech crew, ZK cabin crew including managers). Then there is Long Haul. Long haul is only cabin crew and none of them are managers (neither CSS or CSM because the FAAA kicked up a fuss about it). In the past they operated 767, A330, 747. Then when the A380 came along they initially didn't operate them (as only QCCA did) but about 3 years ago this changed. They dropped the A330 and did the A380 and 744. This is mostly for a training reason in that QF does standardised training programs and it would be too disruptive to have a special course just for JC crew to continue on the A330 as well. Since then rather than paxing the crew back and forth (they used to operate the 763/A330/747 across) they now train up with the JC short haul crew on the 738 - more productive.
Overall JC saves QF in the region of 20-40% per crew member. This of course goes straight into QFs bottom line.

Funfact: did you know that Jetconnect is the only New Zealand international airline to fly the flag on all their aircraft?

zkncj wrote:

Today JetConnect is an really an company on paper, and not much more.

Absolute baloney. If you want a shell company, take a look at Virgin Australia New Zealand. They don't even have a separate certificate.

Jetstar315 wrote:

Qantas put the Jetconnect Aircraft on the NZ Register in order to be able to employ their crews (both Tech Crew and Cabin Crew) on NZ Industrial Awards rather than crew them with the far more expensive Australian contracts.

If they were operated by mainline Australia crews it would make no sense (just look at JC's schedule) as there would be far, far more hotel nights in New Zealand and a lot of the routes wouldn't be viable.

TruemanQLD wrote:

Recently introduced BNE-CHC 4x weekly has so far operated by VH registered aircraft

Correct. Currently Jetconnect doesn't have enough aircraft nor crew to operate the new BNE-CHC and BNE-WLG services. As such, those operations were 'outsourced' to mainline.

TruemanQLD wrote:

Also, some BNE-AKL services are being operated by VH aircraft (QF126 on 9/7 and looks like today's service as well). However, this year's seasonal BNE-ZQN appears to be operated by ZK aircraft. I don't believe this was the case in previous years.

zkncj wrote:

The JetConnect Crew can operate both ZK/VH registered aircraft, so it can be an VH aircraft with JetConnect Crew.

JQflightie wrote:

JetConnect crew are not trained on A330 aircraft, and cannot operate on VH rego B738's.

Jetconnect crew can operate mainline 737s, but have only been able to do so for a month or two. This is so that JC crew can operate mainline aircraft whilst JC aircraft undergo reconfiguration. Otherwise mainline aircraft would have to be transferred to Jetconnect, re-registered with New Zealand registrations and added to JC's certificate.... lots of paperwork and you can be sure that the unions would kick up a big stink about that. A few weeks ago a Jetconnect aircraft experienced some ramp damage at WLG, courtesy of a catering truck. A mainline aircraft was used for a few days whilst the Jetconnect aircraft underwent repairs.

jetfuel wrote:

The Jetconnect Video

One would hope that people wouldn't take union rubbish like that too seriously.

TruemanQLD wrote:

I would assume with a flight like QF BNE-CHC that it is operated by QF Australian crew though, just given the scheduling.

BNE 0810 CHC 1335
CHC 1435 BNE 1630

Correct.

Zkpilot wrote:

Firstly there are 2 lots of JC crew... Short haul and Long haul. Short haul do their own thing (ZK planes, ZK tech crew, ZK cabin crew including managers).

Correct and it's very important to make a distinguishment between the two of them.