500 jobs to go in QF maintenance restructure.
Qantas has just announced the consolidation of its heavy maintenance operations into Brisbane and Avalon, with a net reduction of 500 positions as a result of the restructure.
The move follows a review of the carrier’s ongoing maintenance requirements, with the introduction of new technology and modern aircraft meaning there will be “a further 60 per cent reduction in heavy maintenance requirements over the next seven years”.
Heavy maintenance on B737s will move from Tullamarine to Brisbane, along with B767 and A330 work, while the base at Avalon will continue to maintain Boeing 747s.
Avalon will also conduct some work on B737s and B767 as well as some aircraft reconfiguration work and one-off maintenance tasks.
Tullamarine heavy maintenance will cease by August, however line maintenance will continue to be conducted at the facility, employing more than 300 people.
QF ceo Alan Joyce said Qantas would continue to be the only major airilne in the world to do heavy maintenance at its own facilities in Australia.
“Our commitment to setting a global standard for safety and quality in airline maintenance will never change,” he said, but “our cost base in heavy maintenance is 30 per cent higher than that of our competitors – we must close this gap to secure Qantas’ future viability and success”.
There will be a reduction of 422 positions at Tullamarine, while at Avalon 113 positions will no longer be required due to the retirement of five 747s this year. 30 new positions will be offered in line maintenance in Melbourne and five in Sydney, while all Qantas heavy maintenance apprentices will be given the opportunity to finish their apprenticeships with Qantas.
With B737 heavy maintenance moving to Brisbane there will be new job opportunities available there, and where possible QF will offer relocation to the Queensland capital, or redeployment to other roles within the carrier, while there will also be a program of voluntary redudancies.
Joyce said the consolidation of heavy maintenance and other engineering initiatives will have an annual benefit of $70-$100 million, but one-off costs associated with the restructure announced today will amount to around $50 million.
More information in tomorrow’s Travel Daily.