Neither the government nor the opposition has a Plan B for Qantas.
Nor it seems does the Qantas Leadership team.
But the obvious one is staring everyone in the face.
It’s called Innovation.
Qantas like most other Australian Businesses cannot compete on price nor rely on out-dated government protection.
It must compete on the ideas, imagination and passion of its management and staff.
Plan B is to be more innovative about pricing, working with partners, the design of their frequent flyer programs, developing their people, designing tour packaging and seating to name a few areas of opportunity.
Most of all, the leadership team has to think differently about growing their revenue.
Slashing 5000 of their staff might be necessary in the short term but is not sustainable.
Trying to influence government policy through a media campaign also seems a waste of mental energy.
What if, instead the leadership team tried to re-imagine what an airline could be in the 21st Century?
Or focused on making the Qantas experience for customers a world-class one.
Now that is an exciting future.
Lets call it Plan I — a plan for greater innovation, ideas and imagination.