Today's Qantas strikes cancelled, but so are 40 flights
By David Flynn, October 10 2011
UPDATE | Qantas has issued a new timetable starting Monday October 17 which sees 110 flights per week cancelled due to ongoing industrial action. For a complete list of all cancelled flights, click here.
PREVIOUS | Striking unions have called off this afternoon's industrial action against Qantas but the move comes too late for some 11,000 travellers, with the airline already having cancelled 40 flights today and delayed 24 more, including several international flights to Asia and Europe.
“We apologise to all of our customers who have been delayed because of cynical games from the union", said Qantas spokeswoman Olivia Wirth. "We would like to re-instate services but it’s too late. You can’t just turn an airline on and off."
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra flights are the worst affected within Australia, but Townsville and Hobart will also see delays. For a full two-page list, check Qantas' 10 October schedule changes (pdf), or check the airline's Flight Status page for information on specific flights.
Internationally, Bangkok, London, Frankfurt, Singapore and Auckland passengers will all see flight delays, with flights QF1, QF5, QF31, QF125 and QF126 delayed by around two to three hours.
Qantas has published a list of delayed international flights on its website.
Potentially even more troublesome for travellers is that the departure time for many domestic flights will be brought forward. Those flights will leave earlier than their scheduled time, in order to avoid the previously slated four-hour strikes from 3pm in Sydney, 4pm in Brisbane and 5pm in Melbourne.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2011
Total posts 233
I don't think the Unions are fooling anyone with their behavior.
This tatic of calling off strikes the day before their due to commence, so as to save favour with the travelling public isn't working.
If they don't want to cause any disruptions, and their genuine about it, then they must call off their strikes at least 3 days before hand before the airline is forced into making alternative arrangements.
Until know I've favoured no one in this dispute but if this continues then I'll definitely be on the side of Qantas management. That said however, I really do hope an agreement between all the parties is reached soon.
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