Repost.
From the very start, this Singapore airline has struggled to make a profit, has one of the worst customer service, poor PR and has been talk of the aviation industry especially in Australia about it's questionable operations. IPO has been pushed a number of times until 2010.
It's is directly and indirectly majority owned by Temasek. SIA has 3 seats and Temasek's investment arm has 1 seat.
Sometime in 2006 I asked a retired SIA executive why would SIA want to be associated with an airline that has such a bad reputation especially in customer service bearing in mind that SIA branding cornerstone is customer service. This chap was defensive and suggested that they were passive to avoid a conflict of interest. I drew the conclusion that he was unsure or never approved of the model and bearing in mind the politics of Ho Ching, Singaporeans tend to be meek and compliant and this is not an exception. There was also no JY Pillay to act as the moral compass and bulwark to unprofessional interference.
Then we have Tony Davis, the CEO. The word rude would be an understatement. The consolation is that he is universally rude to all, including governments, Caucasians, senior executives of MNCs etc. When all airlines were facing high level of ticket fraud via the Internet, most agreed to start taking measures to cut the trend. Tony had other ideas. High sales, near capacity cabins are a must for the makings of a successful IPO, so let sales go thru, fraudulent or not, industry pressure had to come in before he got the message.
Two things struck me, the appointment of female CEO for Singapore, a Singaporean and Female CEO for the Australian arm, a South African. An industry known to be male oriented due to it's heavy reliance on engineering and engineering safety. Both had no engineering background. One came from a heavily marketing background and we talking about advertising firms. The other did have some airline background but in finance and rather young. But Tony was not into diversity.
To complete any good drama, you need the proverbial Mother Theresa and Mandela to give the bad paintwork, the sheen of a purring Ferrari. Remember the IPO needs to be launched. Enter Gerard Ee and Po'ad Matter. Mother Theresa needs no introduction. Po'ad Matter is a low profile but highly regarded retired former accountant and chief of one of the big four, member of PSC and one of the Presidential Advisors. Knowing both of them, money and profile is not on the agenda. So why did they get out of bed. Well the usual national service call as it is after all a Temasek company. And our lady had to impress a Texan and Irishmen along the way. Their only mistake is reading the Straits Times and nothing else. Try writing less than favourable comments on a Temasek company.
On Thursday, a Tiger Aiways flight into Melbourne's Avalon Airport flew below the minimum flight level when coming into land. In March, the Australian authorities issued a showcase letter for safety concerns. Those in Singapore might not have known much due to our local prostitutes in Braddell Road but every sane individual had heard about Tiger and it's story long before that.
On Friday, the 1st, the Australian authorities grounded the entire airline. A first in their aviation history. All flights suspended, other airlines have been called into assist passenger movement.
By now a 34 year South African raised female bearing the title of CEO in Australia must be wondering what the meaning of patsy is.
Let me make it very simple to Gerard Ee of Dunbar Walk. The salary of Ministers after all is not a regulatory duty. But the Chairman of the Board of an Airline that has it's entire fleet grounded in Australia and the pilots required to undergo mandatory re-certification is. Watch the share price on Monday.
It's time that Gerard Ees and Mattars of Singapore take out their thumbs from their arse and tell their political masters the meaning of integrity.
From the very start, this Singapore airline has struggled to make a profit, has one of the worst customer service, poor PR and has been talk of the aviation industry especially in Australia about it's questionable operations. IPO has been pushed a number of times until 2010.
It's is directly and indirectly majority owned by Temasek. SIA has 3 seats and Temasek's investment arm has 1 seat.
Sometime in 2006 I asked a retired SIA executive why would SIA want to be associated with an airline that has such a bad reputation especially in customer service bearing in mind that SIA branding cornerstone is customer service. This chap was defensive and suggested that they were passive to avoid a conflict of interest. I drew the conclusion that he was unsure or never approved of the model and bearing in mind the politics of Ho Ching, Singaporeans tend to be meek and compliant and this is not an exception. There was also no JY Pillay to act as the moral compass and bulwark to unprofessional interference.
Then we have Tony Davis, the CEO. The word rude would be an understatement. The consolation is that he is universally rude to all, including governments, Caucasians, senior executives of MNCs etc. When all airlines were facing high level of ticket fraud via the Internet, most agreed to start taking measures to cut the trend. Tony had other ideas. High sales, near capacity cabins are a must for the makings of a successful IPO, so let sales go thru, fraudulent or not, industry pressure had to come in before he got the message.
Two things struck me, the appointment of female CEO for Singapore, a Singaporean and Female CEO for the Australian arm, a South African. An industry known to be male oriented due to it's heavy reliance on engineering and engineering safety. Both had no engineering background. One came from a heavily marketing background and we talking about advertising firms. The other did have some airline background but in finance and rather young. But Tony was not into diversity.
To complete any good drama, you need the proverbial Mother Theresa and Mandela to give the bad paintwork, the sheen of a purring Ferrari. Remember the IPO needs to be launched. Enter Gerard Ee and Po'ad Matter. Mother Theresa needs no introduction. Po'ad Matter is a low profile but highly regarded retired former accountant and chief of one of the big four, member of PSC and one of the Presidential Advisors. Knowing both of them, money and profile is not on the agenda. So why did they get out of bed. Well the usual national service call as it is after all a Temasek company. And our lady had to impress a Texan and Irishmen along the way. Their only mistake is reading the Straits Times and nothing else. Try writing less than favourable comments on a Temasek company.
On Thursday, a Tiger Aiways flight into Melbourne's Avalon Airport flew below the minimum flight level when coming into land. In March, the Australian authorities issued a showcase letter for safety concerns. Those in Singapore might not have known much due to our local prostitutes in Braddell Road but every sane individual had heard about Tiger and it's story long before that.
On Friday, the 1st, the Australian authorities grounded the entire airline. A first in their aviation history. All flights suspended, other airlines have been called into assist passenger movement.
By now a 34 year South African raised female bearing the title of CEO in Australia must be wondering what the meaning of patsy is.
Let me make it very simple to Gerard Ee of Dunbar Walk. The salary of Ministers after all is not a regulatory duty. But the Chairman of the Board of an Airline that has it's entire fleet grounded in Australia and the pilots required to undergo mandatory re-certification is. Watch the share price on Monday.
It's time that Gerard Ees and Mattars of Singapore take out their thumbs from their arse and tell their political masters the meaning of integrity.
