Airlines: Qantas & QF Regionals

Bad Karma for QF’s Airport Plans

By the ASU - the airlines industry union

Call it poetic justice, Karma or a taste of things to come, or maybe it was divine intervention, that on the first day ASU Representatives met with Qantas over the Airports of the Future Plans, the Qantas automatic check-in system decided to breakdown worldwide!

Yes - that is what happened on the 16 November 2009, as ASU Representatives from most Qantas airports met in Melbourne to discuss the grand plan to eliminate check-in staff at Qantas and give Frequent Flyers electronic bag tags and allow all passengers to check themselves in and tag their own baggage.

Ironically, as the technology failed across the country and check-in staff had to revert to hand writing boarding passes and baggage tags, we were left to ponder, if the computers go on strike in the Alan Joyce brave new world - who will be there to repair the mess and keep Australia flying?

What we were told?

The best thing we can say about the meeting with Qantas about the new system they propose to introduce and trial is that if the Managers we saw knew much about it, they weren't telling us!

It's all in the design phase it seems (if you believe them?) and the most prepared aspect of the plan was Alan Joyce's speech last week.

We are told that communications have begun with staff in Perth - although no-one knows with who, what or when this occurred. The communication will be rolled out across the network over the coming weeks. When it does - don't expect too many of your questions answered!

We could not get any answers on how it will work, how many staff will be affected, or what the redesign of airports will mean to what jobs will survive. So we doubt the communication will be any more than a PR exercise.

Why Perth as the trial?

All we know a trial in Perth has been approved then a roll out across CityFlyer ports will start after that.

There is real concern that Perth is the trial airport given the problems staff have experienced there already. The rationale seems to be that as the airport is being rebuilt it can be configured to the new project - how this is happening is not clear - we don't have any answers.

We remain skeptical about the choice of Perth.

What did we propose?

We think it is imperative that ongoing consultation at a National level involving ASU delegates continues. The proposal has potential wide ranging effects on jobs, work, occupational health and safety and earnings; not to mention how this is actually going to make check-in faster!

A further meeting with ASU delegates has been scheduled for Monday 7 December 2009 in Melbourne. Watch out for more details after this meeting.

Need more information?

Contact your local ASU Organiser for more information.

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