By XAVIER SMERDON
ALMOST 300 people will lose their jobs at Avalon Airport after Qantas announced it would be closing its heavy maintenance facility by the end of March next year.
The airline will continue to maintain aircraft at its major facility in Brisbane after the Avalon base is closed.
Qantas Domestic CEO, Lyell Strambi, said that after a comprehensive eight week review it was clear that there was no future for the Avalon maintenance facility.
“Qantas is gradually retiring our fleet of Boeing 747 aircraft, which means there is not enough work to keep our Avalon base viable and productive,” Mr Strambi said.
“Over the next four years there would have been up to 22 months with no scheduled maintenance at Avalon. No business could afford to continue operating a facility under those circumstances.”
Qantas is the only major airline in Australia that does heavy maintenance.
The Avalon closure will see 53 Qantas employees and 246 contractors, who currently work for Forstaff, without jobs.
Mr Strambi confirmed that staff had offered to take pay cuts to keep their jobs in Avalon.
“I particularly acknowledge constructive efforts from one of the unions which would see some employees take up to three months leave without pay in an effort to keep the facility open, however this wouldn’t come close to addressing the 22 months of no work over the next four years,” he said.
“Our next step is to examine where this work will be done.”
