Qantas will cut 480 jobs with the closure of its heavy maintenance operations in Sydney, the airline has announced.
The B747 maintenance operations will close in May, Qantas said today.
The decision follows a review of all its aircraft engineering operations.
Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said the airline would retain its wide body heavy jet maintenance facilities in Australia.
But its longer term commitment to the local operations would depend on whether it could generate competitive benefits, he said.
"Retaining three wide body maintenance facilities in Australia is no longer viable under this scenario," he said.
"We have one chance to make this work and we are determined to succeed."
Like airlines around the world, Qantas' margins have been hurt by a rising jet fuel price, which remain around historic highs.
He said the closure of the Sydney base would result in the loss of about 480 jobs.
"However, through re-deployment the number of people who leave the company as a result of this decision could reduce to around 340."
Mr Dixon said the review at Qantas Engineering would mean:
Mr Dixon said the decision to close the airline's Sydney heavy maintenance base, after more than 55 years of operation, was regretted, but necessary.
"We have severe space limitations at Sydney and the limitations will increase in future years," he said
"Following this decision, we will still have more than 2900 people employed in engineering in Sydney as well as almost 18,000 Sydney-based staff in other departments.
"We would need to vacate by 2009, or 2010 at the latest, even if the Sydney base had provided the most efficient outcome for Qantas.
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Posted by: Babar | March 29, 2006 10:49 AM | Permalink to Comment