Flight disruptions expected as hundreds of pilots at Qantas subsidiary strike
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Flight disruptions for regional travellers and fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers are expected today as hundreds of pilots working for a Qantas subsidiary strike.
The Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) says its members working for QantasLink and Network Aviation in Western Australia are taking 24-hour industrial action over stalled wage talks.
Flights taking FIFO workers to and from remote sites, such as mines, and regional towns, private charters and local flights from Perth airport are set to be impacted.
The AFAP says pilots regret taking the strike action but have not had a pay rise for five years.
“The enterprise agreement expired in 2020 and pilots had their last pay rise in 2019,” said the union’s senior industrial officer Chris Aikens.
“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.
“Network Aviation pilots in Western Australia fly the same aircraft on similar routes and just want to be treated like other Qantas pilots.”
Similar industrial action held last October affected flights to and from regional towns and mine sites.