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Qantas long-haul pilots have rejected a new enterprise agreement that would have given them a 25 per cent pay rise over four years.
The deal, which was backed by the Australian and International Pilots’ Association (AIPA), would have covered around 1,700 Qantas A330, A380, and 787 pilots, and replaced the previous agreement which expired in 2024. Around two thirds of pilots voted against it.
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“A majority of Qantas long haul pilots have voted against accepting the proposed enterprise agreement deal,” confirmed AIPA president Captain Andrew Marshall in a statement.
“AIPA will now consult with our membership to fully understand where the shortfalls lie and seek a revised deal that addresses those concerns. I remain confident we can ultimately arrive at a deal that will satisfy both parties.”
Despite the support of AIPA, which represents around 85 per cent of Qantas long-haul pilots, the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP), which represents the remainder, had advised against accepting the offer, saying it “did not meet the standard required after years of concessions”, as reported in The Australian.
“Despite the company pressure to vote yes, pilots have made it clear this deal does not meet the standard they expect and deserve,” said AFAP executive director Simon Lutton.
“The increases on offer are unlikely to match inflation over the life of the agreement, which means pilots would go backwards in real terms while continuing to face rising living costs.”
Australian Aviation understands that the offer included improvements to rostering and work-life balance, as well as changes to boost career progression. Cam Wallace, CEO Qantas International and Freight, said the rejection of the deal was “disappointing” for the Flying Kangaroo.
“We put forward an agreement with the support of the main union that offered significant pay increases as well as long sought after changes to conditions,” he said.
“We’ll now take some time to work out our next steps, especially given the impact of the conflict in the Middle East. We remain committed to reaching an agreement with our long-haul pilots that provides pay increases while ensuring Qantas International remains competitive.”
Qantas short-haul pilots last year approved a deal which increased pay by nine per cent over three years after a two-year freeze.
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