The pilots at Qantas Airways' chartered flights unit, Network Aviation, have extended their planned three-day strike to six days. The strike, which was initially scheduled to last from Wednesday to Friday, will now continue over the weekend through Monday. Network Aviation conducts charter flights from Western Australia to other parts of the country. The strike is a result of a pay-related dispute with Qantas, the country's flag carrier. The pilots have rejected a new enterprise deal three times. The strikes will mainly impact Western Australians traveling to towns across the region.
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Despite the strike, no other Qantas Group services are affected. Network Aviation plans to use three Qantas Boeing 737 aircraft and charter aircraft from other airlines over the next six days. It is also developing contingency plans for future strikes. The strike is expected to disrupt thousands of passengers through to Monday. Passengers flying in regional Western Australia have been warned to expect days of disruption as regional pilots ramp up their industrial action.
The Australian Federation of Air Pilots claims Network is short-changing pilots by offering them inferior conditions to those across the Qantas domestic network. However, the airline says its offers were "generous" and could not be feasibly increased. The airlines said 25 Wednesday flights had been canceled, and another 25 on Thursday. Thousands of passengers are expected to be impacted by the pilot's strike.
In response to the strike, the airline has asked the Fair Work Commission to arbitrate the dispute. With Network flying the bulk of WA's large FIFO workforce, a significant number of mine workers will also be impacted. This strike is not the first instance of industrial action by Network Aviation pilots. There were one-day strikes last week and in October last year. The extended strike is a clear indication of the escalating tension between the pilots and the airline over pay and working conditions.