Australia's Qantas axes another 400 staff
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SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian flag carrier Qantas on Thursday announced the slashing of 400 maintenance jobs as part of a restructure aimed at cutting costs and shifting focus to Asia.
Qantas said the cuts would involve 150 staff and 250 contractors, as the "Flying Kangaroo" consolidates its maintenance operations to achieve savings under heavy competition, fuel costs and the strong Australian dollar.
Mr Lyell Strambi, chief of Qantas's domestic arm, said the modernisation of the airline's fleet had significantly reduced the need for engineering staff, with newer-generation aircraft needing less maintenance, less often.
"The Qantas group fleet age is at its lowest level in 20 years, with 122 new aircraft joining the fleet in the past four-and-a-half years," Mr Strambi said.
