Short haul pilots employed by Qantas have voted to endorse “Project Winton,” the airline’s transition from the Boeing 737 to the latest generation of Airbus A321XLRs. The vote secures the future of current B737 crews to fly the first 20 A321XLRs which will begin entering service from late 2024.
“While it is pleasing to see that mainline pilots have secured flying the first A321s, it is important to acknowledge the looming threat of outsourcing that hung over this vote,” Capt. Tony Lucas, president of the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) commented. Capt. Lucas said during negotiations with Qantas, AIPA’s members were presented with changes to the Short Haul Enterprise Agreement with a clear message from the airline that if they voted “No” then Qantas would outsource the work.
“It may seem to some within the Company, that this industrial methodology is the way forward, but I hope that a more collaborative approach can be achieved in the future, one that respects the role our members play in contributing to a profitable and safe airline,” Capt. Lucas commented “AIPA is disappointed that Qantas would threaten to walk away from those pilots if they voted ‘No’ to the deal. Our pilots are and will always be ready to continue safely flying our country’s travelling public around Australia and the world.”