The Qantas Group said recently it would cut 1,500 jobs worldwide in response to the sustained high oil prices and challenging economic conditions.
Qantas Airways Limited CEO, Geoff Dixon, said that in addition to the job cuts, the airline would not implement its budgeted route and frequency growth for the 2008/09 financial year and would cancel plans to hire a further 1,200 people for that planned expansion.
Dixon said every effort would be made to achieve the job cuts through voluntary redundancy, early retirements, leave without pay, an accelerated leave program and converting positions from full-time to part time, however, there would be some compulsory redundancies.
“The jobs to be cut will be principally concentrated in non-operational areas, although operational positions will alsogo,” said Dixon. “Over 20 per cent of our management and head office support jobs will be cut.”
Dixon said the aviation industry was facing a major crisis throughout the world and Qantas needed to act decisively to ensure its future.