WA Qantas pilots to strike again this week for better wages, working conditions

WA Qantas pilots to strike again this week for better wages, working conditions
Edited by Travel Weekly


    The Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) has advised Qantas of further industrial action this week in Western Australia.

    Work will again be put on hold for two consecutive days on Wednesday 14 February and Thursday 15 February.

    Australian Federation of Air Pilots members, who make up 90 per cent of the pilot group flying for Network Aviation (charter contracts) and QantasLink (passenger transport), met last Thursday and decided to take further protected industrial action.

    Last week pilots paused all work for 24 hours commencing in the early hours of 8 February, listing a number of conditions they would like met.

    The seven terms and conditions that the pilots have put to the company include:

    • Two-hour (not 90 minutes) sign-on from reserve, as is common in the industry and in compliance with the Air Pilots Award 2020
    • 6:00am (not 4:00am) start after a day off as for pilots at other Qantas/QantasLink operations and in compliance with the Air Pilots Award 2020
    • Duty travel in a Business class seat (where available) to improve the opportunity for rest and Fatigue Management
    • Same Duty Hours Allowance as for pilots at other Qantas/QantasLink operations
    • Overtime increased using the same formula as for pilots at other Qantas/QantasLink operations
    • Ten Rostered Days Off as for pilots at other Qantas/QantasLink operations
    • Revised rostering appendix providing better rostering rules

    “Our members deeply regret having to take this protected industrial action but are left with no other option,” senior industrial officer, AFAP, Chris Aikens, shared with media last week.

    “The enterprise agreement expired in 2020 and pilots had their last pay rise in 2019.

    “We have been negotiating in good faith for at least 18 months but the company continues to be inflexible.

    “We remain keen and willing to meet with the company’s management to arrive at some improvements in terms and conditions for the lowest paid jet pilots in the Qantas Group.”

    Latest News

    • Aviation

    Top four airports report return to profit after post-Covid period comes to an end

    The aeronautical operations of Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney airports returned to profit in 2022-23, the first full financial year since the end of COVID-19 travel restrictions, the ACCC’s latest Airport Monitoring Report shows. In contrast, all four monitored airports reported losses on their aeronautical operations in 2021-22. A return to profit was helped by […]

    • Luxury

    COMO launches new family-sized farmhouse in the heart of Tuscany

    COMO Hotels and Resorts has launched its new farmhouse apartments in the heart of Tuscany, just in time for Australians to escape our wet winter. And it’s also an ideal time for Aussies of Italian ancestry to explore their home country as 2024 has been declared the year of Roots and Heritage Tourism by the […]

    • Aviation

    Green light, green fuel for Townsville Airport as passenger numbers set to double to 3.7m

    The Townsville Airport Master Plan, including the expansion of the airport terminal and development of the surrounding precinct, has been given the green light by the Federal Government. The 2023 plan outlined Townsville Airport’s strategic vision and growth objectives over the next two decades, with a detailed focus on the initial eight years. Townsville Airport […]

    • Destinations
    • News

    New Caledonia in lockdown and airport closed after violent riots rock Noumea

    New Caledonia officials have announced a 6pm-6am curfew, a liquor ban and have closed the country’s main airport after overnight riots in which vehicles were torched and roads blocked in the wake of proposed constitutional reforms. Australian Government website Smartraveller has issued an alert informing visitors to exercise a high degree of caution in metropolitan […]