Qantas passengers can expect ‘disrupted’ flights, following the start of two weeks of planned industrial action on Thursday.
Qantas engineers walking off the job in Melbourne flagged that the industrial action could go nationwide.
The Qantas Engineers’ Alliance said the strike “is highly likely” to affect flights in all major capitals, although a Qantas spokesperson said the airline had put contingency plans in place.
“We don’t currently expect this industrial action to have an impact on customers,” the Qantas spokesperson said.
“We’ve held a series of meetings with the unions and made progress on a number of items.
“We want to reach an agreement that includes pay rises and lifestyle benefits for our people.”
Workers are calling for 5 per cent per year and a 15 per cent first-year payment to make up for three-and-a-half years of wage freezes.
Qantas made a profit of $1.25 billion in the 2023-24 financial year, down 28.3 per cent on the previous 12 months.
The Australian Workers’ Union national secretary Paul Farrow told The Guardian the airline had refused to accept a “fair deal”.
“You can’t expect to announce billions in profits and executive bonuses and simultaneously tell the engineers who keep your planes safe to take less and less home to their families,” he said. “At some point, people are going to say enough.”
The action was timed to hit passengers travelling to Melbourne for the Grand Final today. Qantas passengers are advised to check their bookings over the coming few weeks.
Runaway runway
The strike comes as Melbourne Airport announced some big changes at Tullamarine. The federal government has approved a third runway for the airport and the airport has announced a new 32-hectare retail and entertainment precinct adjoining the site.
Melbourne Airport chief executive Lorie Argus said the new runway would benefit Australian travellers and exporters for decades to come.
“Sydney and Brisbane already operate parallel runway systems, so this will ensure that Melbourne does not become a handbrake on the national air network or the national economy,” she said.
The new retail and business development will be called Elite Park, and pending government approval works will begin next year with the first tenants expected to take up residence in 2026.
Melbourne Airport’s Jai McDermott said Elite Park was more than just a business space.
“We are creating community spaces where people can work, play, and spend time with family and friends,” Mr McDermott said.
“The success of nearby Urbnsurf, Australia’s first surf park, has paved the way for Elite Park’s vision.”
The building and staffing of Elite Park is expected to create 2000 jobs.
Bali build ban
Balinese authorities have banned all new builds of hotels, nightspots and entertainment venues in tourist hot spots for two years. It’s part of an attempt to slow down the rampant development in this Australian favourite.
In February, Bali also introduced a ‘tourist tax’ of 150,000 rupiah (or about $15) for all foreign nationals seeking to enter the region.
The proposed pause on building is currently only two years, but it could be extended by up to 10 years. The areas covered by the ban are Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, and Tabanan (Sarbagita).
Bali’s interim governor, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, said the ban was devised to take the heat out of overdevelopment, protecting local culture and ensuring valuable farming land was not converted into infrastructure.
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