Airline Pilot Central Forums - Qantas and Travolta

August 5, 2011
Qantas pulls Travolta safety video amid pilot dispute
By: Geoffrey Thomas
Qantas pulled its airline safety video featuring Ambassador-at-Large John Travolta as part of the ongoing industrial dispute with long-haul pilots, according to Australian and International Pilots Assn. (ATW Daily News, July 21). Travolta, who has been fronting the airline's safety video, says in the video there is no one he would rather having flying the plane than a QF pilot. However, the union said this message conflicts with management's stance in the industrial dispute over outsourcing.

AIPA insists that all QF flights be crewed by pilots employed on terms and conditions of its Australian-based members. The union also wants pilots flying for Jetstar, the airline's low-cost subsidiary, to be paid the same rate as QF pilots if their flight is carrying a QF flight number.

AIPA VP Richard Woodward said the video's removal indicates QF CEO Alan Joyce is "eager to outsource Qantas jobs to overseas pilots." However, a QF spokesman said the pulling of the video "has absolutely nothing to do with" the industrial dispute with long-haul pilots. "It was always intended to be a temporary feature," he stated.

QF Head-Corporate and Government Affairs Olivia Wirth told ATW that if QF agreed to the union's pay demands for all flights, "it would drive up fares." She claimed, "The APIA wants to force all Qantas affiliate airlines, including Jetstar, to pay their pilots the same premium rates and conditions as Qantas pilots."

QF's plans to restructure its international division include creating more airline alliances, a re-jigging of fleet plans, and scrapping some routes. But it will not include any major transfer of routes to Jetstar, according to one QF source.