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Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie has urged Qantas to keep its QantasLink base in Hobart open.
The Flying Kangaroo is conducting a review of three of its regional bases – in Canberra, Hobart, and Mildura – and the potential impacts of closing them and relocating their staff to larger bases in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
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Around 70 staff would be affected across the three bases, including a substantial number in Hobart itself, according to Wilkie.
“Dozens of aircraft crew are currently based in the city, providing valuable jobs and a good lifestyle for the airline’s staff, saving Qantas enormous layover expenses and providing operational flexibility,” he said.
“For aircraft crew to relocate, or in effect become FIFO workers, would obviously be very difficult for them and their families, and a significant economic loss to Hobart.
“This development follows hot on the heels of Justice Michael Lee slamming a $90 million fine on Qantas for unlawfully sacking thousands of workers during the early days of the COVID pandemic. Justice Lee was scathing of the behaviour of the company and its HR practices.
“The possibility of QantasLink closing its local crew base also follows Qantas’ failed 2014 experiment when the airline axed all mainline Qantas services to Hobart. This saw a decline in quality and was eventually reversed to ensure some mainline services were restored.”
In a statement, Qantas said most flights now originate from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and that having more staff on hand at these major bases would reduce complexity and costs.
QantasLink chief executive Rachel Yangoyan stressed that no final decision has been made on the bases’ future.
“This announcement is part of an ongoing review of our base structure, which is focused on improving reliability for customers and ensuring we can continue to grow our regional flying network into the future,” she said.
“Having more team members based at our busiest ports would help us respond more quickly to disruptions and reduce delays and cancellations for our customers.
“If a decision is made to close these bases, there’ll be ongoing work for all of our pilots and cabin crew, and we’re committed to supporting our people through this process.”
Wilkie has called on the national carrier to “rule out closing the Hobart base, and to commit to maintaining similar QantasLink staff numbers in Hobart for the foreseeable future”.
“I also call on Qantas and the Tasmanian Government to bring clarity to the current situation with Qantas’ excellent Hobart call centre. In 2014 it also faced closure. But it was thrown a 10-year $10.9 million taxpayer-funded lifeline, which presumably has now expired,” he said.
“The bottom line is that generations of Tasmanians, including hundreds of Qantas staff, have given their loyalty to the Flying Kangaroo. They expect that to be reciprocated.”
Qantas says it will consult with its staff and their union representatives before making any final decisions.
