It comes after at least 1600 baggage handlers were sacked during lockdown and Qantas outsourcing the service to contractors. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Qantas is asking senior executives to work for three months as baggage handlers in order to combat labour shortages.
The airline is looking for at least 100 volunteers to sort, scan and transport luggage.
Qantas chief operating officer, Colin Hughes, said in a memo to staff that expressions of interest are being sought for a contingency program.
“People who respond to the EOI will be trained and rostered into the ramp environment at Sydney and Melbourne airports,” Hughes wrote.
“These people will support our ground handling partners, who are managing the Qantas operation, over a three-month period from mid-August.”
He also mentioned “there is no expectation that you will opt into this role on top of your full-time position.”
This comes after at least 1600 baggage handlers were sacked during lockdown and Qantas outsourcing the service to contractors.
This was ruled unlawful by the federal court, a decision Qantas vowed to appeal.
The airline has been struggling to recover from the COVID-19 lockdown period with a myriad of problems.
“The high levels of winter flu and a COVID spike across the community, coupled with the ongoing tight labour market, make resourcing a challenge across our industry,” Hughes said.
Qantas has also apologised for the many complaints received for delayed and cancelled flights, lost baggage and long queues.
The airline is hoping to address its problems by hiring more staff and scheduling fewer flights in the next month.
“We’ve been clear that our operational performance has not been meeting our customers’ expectations or the standards that we expect of ourselves – and that we’ve been pulling out all stops to improve our performance,” a Qantas spokesperson said.
“As we have done in the past during busy periods, around 200 head office staff have helped at airports during peak travel periods since Easter.
“While we manage the impacts of a record flu season and ongoing COVID cases coupled with the tightest labour market in decades, we’re continuing that contingency planning across our airport operations for the next three months.”
