‘Slap in the face’: Qantas looks to Kiwi crew for New York flights

Qantas denied the difference in risk entitlements was the reason for the crewing decision, and said the airline had actually increased the NZ-based crew’s rest entitlements from 24 hours to 40 to bring them in line with the carrier’s fatigue risk management program. Given the route will commence with three services a week before increasing to four, the crew on the JFK service will have more than 49 hours of scheduled rest over two nights before their return flight to Auckland.

An airline spokesperson said it had employed New Zealand cabin crew for more than two decades, “given the longest leg of the flight to New York departs from Auckland, it makes sense for them to operate this service”.

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“We’re hiring more than 1400 Australian-based cabin crew this year alone and promoting hundreds more as additional wide-body aircraft enter service, and we continue to ramp up international flying.”

The association’s disillusionment follows accusations from the Australian and International Pilots Association the carrier had “outsourced the spirit of Australia” after unveiling a new agreement with Finnair earlier this month.

Qantas committed to lease two Airbus A330s from Finnair to help the airline meet its goal of returning to 100 per cent of pre-COVID-19 international flying capacity by March 2024. The agreement to lease the aircraft stipulates Qantas will also use Finnair pilots and cabin crew – known as “wet leasing” – for the first two years of the four-year arrangement.

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