Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has warned that industrial action under consideration by the carrier’s pilots could jeopardise the future of Qantas as an international carrier.
The airline’s long-haul pilots are set to go on strike for the first time in two decades, demanding pay rises and perks.
"The continued claim that they are going to take industrial action … is an attempt at further damaging the brand," Joyce told an Australian news programme.
"Unfortunately, this is the way some of these rogue union leaders think."
Joyce said any pay increases would result in job cuts.
He labelled both the engineers’ and pilots’ union leaders as "rogues" who the company was "going to have to stand up to".
"Our international business is losing money … if these demands are met, it will go back even further,” Joyce said.
Qantas is likely to be face increasing competition following the announcement by Singapore Airlines, reported in TravelMole yesterday, that it plans to launch a low-cost, medium to long-haul carrier.
The new carrier will almost certainly compete for business with Qantas no-frills offshoot, Jetstar, as well as AirAsiaX.
