Qantas strike actions disrupt travel plans

Qantas has been forced to delay 39 flights by up to an hour and cancel another two flights on the eve of the AFL and NRL Grand Finals and during school holidays due to strikes by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA).

The TWU will go on strike for one hour at 8am around Australia (local time in each location). The engineers’ union will go on strike for one hour at 6pm in Melbourne.

Qantas is contacting customers who were booked on flights that have been cancelled and those that have been significantly delayed. Updated flight details are available at qantas.com

Since coordinated industrial action by unions began just over a month ago there have been more than 25,000 passengers affected by cancelled and delayed flights.

Qantas Group Executive Olivia Wirth said the airline would again deploy Australian-based Qantas management staff to undertake operational roles such as baggage handling and catering.

The strike on Tuesday 20 September by the TWU forced Qantas to cancel 28 flights and delay 27 flights which caused disruptions to more than 6,100 passengers.

In March 2009 the TWU took unprotected strikes for around four hours in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth, causing considerable disruption to Qantas passengers. The Federal Court found in July this year that the TWU and senior officials had acted unlawfully and the TWU was fined and required to pay compensation.