More than 500 engineering jobs will be axed as Qantas forges ahead with the closure of its heavy maintenance base at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport.
The operation at the airport will cease in August and be consolidated into the airline’s facilities at Brisbane and Avalon.
Qantas said 422 positions will to go as a result and a further 113 positions will “no longer be required” at Avalon with the retirement of five Boeing 747 aircraft this year.
“All Qantas heavy maintenance apprentices will be given the opportunity to finish their apprenticeships with Qantas,” a statement from the airline said.
Tullamarine will continue to conduct line maintenance employing more than 300 people and 30 new positions to be created, Qantas said. A further five line maintenance positions will be created in Sydney with additional new jobs promised in Brisbane as it becomes the new site of 737 heavy maintenance.
However, that is unlikely to placate unions who are certain to air strong objections.
Confirmation of the job losses comes at the end of a two-month consultation with unions, employees and stakeholders.
Chief executive Alan Joyce insisted the airline remained committed to “setting a global standard for safety and quality in airline maintenance”.
“Like the manufacturing industry, aviation maintenance is a labour and capital intensive sector,” he said. “ Our cost base in heavy maintenance is 30% higher than that of our competitors – we must close this gap to secure Qantas’ future viability and success.”
Joyce warned the airline’s heavy maintenance requirements were set to shrink 60% over the next seven years with the introduction of new technology and modern aircraft.
