Qantas forced to ground another two aircraft
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Qantas has been forced to ground more aircraft to ensurethe security of its passengers while embroiled in ongoing industrial disputeswith worker unions. The carrier will ground a further two aircraft from Mondayas industrial action by the Australian Licenced Engineers Association (ALAEA)continues to cause a backlog on fleet maintenance. The grounding of twowide-body Boeing 767 aircraft will see a further 80 domestic flights cancelledover the next month, and the removal of approximately 20,000 seats of capacity.This will mainly impact flights between the eastern states and Perth.
The ALAEA ban on overtime and work to rule has now forcedQantas to ground seven aircraft, cancel around 500 flights and removeapproximately 88,000 seats from sale over the next month. Since union strikeaction began less than two months ago by the ALAEA and the Transport Workers’Union more than 60,000 passengers have been directly impacted, with 129 flightscancelled and 321 flights delayed or brought forward.
“The ongoing action from the licensed aircraftmaintenance engineers’ union means we do not have the manpower to fulfil all ofthe necessary maintenance on our fleet of aircraft,” said Alam Joyce, CEO ofQantas.