A former Qantas executive has slammed the airline’s decision to close its Hobart base, saying local crew are vital for Tasmania’s tourism and flight reliability.
Steve Farquer, who now works for Tourism Tasmania and established the Hobart base while at Qantas, told a Senate inquiry the closure would have serious ramifications for staff and passengers.
QantasLink announced in October it would shut bases in Hobart, Canberra and Mildura from April, affecting 71 flight and cabin crew.
The airline said the move would improve reliability by concentrating staff at major airports.
But Farquer said the Hobart base was central to Tasmania’s flight operations.
“The passion of the crew base, their commitment in advocating for Tasmania, what they deliver in terms of customer service and supporting our brand proposition has been very, very crucial,” he told the inquiry.
He said the closure would devastate local staff who had built lives in Hobart.
“The impact for a number of Tasmanians who have chosen to live in Hobart, who have brought their families to Hobart and established a life in Hobart – schools, education, health – it’s a significant issue for them,” Farquer said.
A Senate committee report released last week found the closures were poorly managed and had devastated staff and regional communities.
QantasLink CEO Rachel Yangoyan defended the decision when it was announced last year, saying consolidating crew would improve service reliability.
“This will help us better respond to disruptions and improve reliability across our regional network,” she said.
Qantas said all affected staff had been offered roles elsewhere, with most accepting.
Transport Workers Union assistant secretary Emily McMillan said at the time that workers faced an impossible choice between family and career.
The airline promised comprehensive support including flights and accommodation for commuting crew.
