Qantas rejects union claims on turboprop safety

Qantas rejected (26-Oct-2010) claims by the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) regarding cockpit doors on some QantasLink turboprop aircraft. Qantas Group Executive Government and Corporate Affairs, Mr David Epstein, said the union's claims were an irresponsible escalation of an industrial campaign involving licenced engineers employed by QantasLink in Queensland. According to ALAEA, 40 aircraft should be grounded for inspection while at least 10 are unsafe to operate. [more]

Qantas: "This is a well-worn tactic of the ALAEA's Federal Secretary, Steve Purvinas, when enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations are not going his way. Safety and security are our highest priorities, and the cockpit doors on 28 QantasLink turboprop aircraft meet all relevant aviation security regulatory and manufacturer requirements. This has been validated after consultation with the Office of Transport Security and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Qantas, and QantasLink, continually review security measures and, as part of this process, work to upgrade the doors on these aircraft commenced well before ALAEA made its claims today. There is no need for any aircraft to be grounded, and the travelling public can fly on QantasLink services with complete confidence." David Epstein, Executive Government and Corporate Affairs for Qantas Group. Source: Company statement.