QF look to voluntary job cuts after NZ loss

Qantas are seeking voluntary redundancies from check-in and ground staff after losing the contract to handle Air New Zealand flights in the 5 main Australian cities they serve.

Qantas’s long-standing contract to provide ground-handling services for Air New Zealand at airports including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth will end in March. The multi-million-dollar contract is one of Qantas’s largest, and includes checking in of passengers and baggage handling.

The biggest losses are expected to be in Sydney at Sydney International as it handles the most Air New Zealand flights.

Air New Zealand made the decision in November to switch their Australian check-in and ground handling services supplier to Toll Dnata.

Airlines are increasingly turning to cheaper third-party operators such as Toll Dnata and Menzies Aviation for ground-handling services at airports.

It comes at a bad time for Qantas with job cuts over several different departments in different cities totaling 1260 roles.

Read more at the Sydney Morning Herald HERE