The Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) has endorsed the Qantas Short Haul Enterprise Agreement (SHEA) which has been under negotiation with the airline and will now go to a vote of short haul (domestic) pilots employed by Qantas in early 2020.
AIPA is also negotiating a separate Long Haul Enterprise Agreement (LHEA) with Qantas covering pilots employed on Qantas’ international services.
The LHEA talks are still ongoing and are expected to move into more substantive negotiations in February, 2020.
The Qantas Ultra Long Range (ULR) flying proposal is an issue to be negotiated within the LHEA.
Reports suggesting that the endorsement of the Qantas SHEA by AIPA’s Committee of Management clears the way for Qantas to begin ULR flying are not correct.
AIPA representatives are yet to agree to the conditions under which our members might engage in Ultra Long Range flying.
Once negotiations on the LHEA conclude, there may be a separate proposed agreement for Qantas pilots flying Long Haul, or international routes, to vote on.
AIPA also has members flying for Qantas’ low cost carrier Jetstar who are not taking part in the current industrial action.
The protected industrial action which is affecting Jetstar services is being undertaken by pilots who are members of the Australian Federation of Airline Pilots.
