‘Profits over people’: Qantas slammed after shutting bases in Canberra, Mildura and Hobart

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has slammed Qantas’ decision to close bases in regional Victoria, ACT and Tasmania, calling it a “bad decision”.

QantasLink confirmed it would be closing its pilot and cabin crew bases in Hobart, Canberra and Mildura in April next year.

QantasLink chief executive officer Rachel Yangoyan said the closure of the three bases would allow the business to “deliver a more reliable service for our customers”.

The change will affect about 70 pilots and cabin crew.

Transport Minister Catherine King urged the airline to “reconsider their proposal”.

“It’s not enough for Australia’s airlines to just fly in and out of regional communities, they should be a strong community partner and a reliable employer as well,” she said.

Ms King called on Qantas to commit to “no job losses and no reduction in services”.

Qantas said the affected staff would be “offered a comprehensive support package to enable them and their families to remain living in Hobart, Canberra or Mildura, while working out of a major base”.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said: “This is a terrible blow to the staff, many with families, who relocated to Hobart in good faith, have partners in local jobs, are building homes and have their children in local schools.

“Turns out the flying kangaroo doesn’t regard Hobart as an Australian capital city, or has changed its HR culture since being found guilty of illegally sacking thousands of staff.”

In August, Qantas was penalised $90m for sacking and outsourcing more than 1800 ground staff in 2020.

The TWU slammed the decision, which national assistant secretary Emily McMillan said would have “life-changing” effects on pilots and cabin crew.

“This is a decision that will have life-changing effects on pilots and cabin crew who were told their jobs in these bases were safe, and who made significant decisions on that assurance,” she said.

“These crew are now in a position of having to choose between family and career because Qantas continues to put exorbitant profits over people.”

‘Same old Qantas’

The TWU said one in five pilots had already been affected by recent Qantas base closures in Perth and Cairns, and could potentially lead to “further cancellations, particularly in Canberra, once again resulting in a decline in standards for passengers”.

Ms McMillan said the airline was trying to “plaster over a bad decision”.

“Qantas says it has changed, but this is the same old Qantas once again,” she said.

“It has afforded extra funding and transition time because of the impact it will have on affected employees’ lives, but stops short of admitting that its decision is wrong.

“This is just another example of Qantas trying to plaster over a bad decision.”

Ms Yangoyan said the decision would help the airline “better respond to disruptions and improve reliability across our regional network”.

“We have dozens of new aircraft joining the QantasLink fleet in the coming years and this decision will help us provide customers with opportunities to fly to more destinations and benefit from more frequencies across our regional network,” she said.

She said the closure would “not impact any of our flying into Canberra, Hobart or Mildura”.

“We know the decision will be disappointing to our pilots and cabin crew in these bases and we are putting in place a comprehensive package to support them continuing to maintain their family and life in their home city,” Ms Yangoyan said.

“This will include support for things like flights and accommodation so they can commute to work.”