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CHOGM leaders left without a way home

by: Staff writers
From: PerthNow
October 29, 20113:22PM


HUNDREDS of world leaders attending the CHOGM conference in Perth could be left without a way home after Qantas grounded its entire fleet today.

Thousands of passengers were left stranded by the snap decision today which came without warning.


The Federal Government is examining all options, including organizing taxpayer-funded VIP flights.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the Government would try to intervene by launching an emergency application to force the grounded planes back in the air.

If successful the Gillard government will secure a ruling by Fair Work Australia to force Qantas and the unions to cease all industrial action.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce’s unprecedented move to ground the entire fleet forced the government to act.
Mr Joyce said the groundings would take place immediately at a press conference this afternoon and announced the lockout will begin at 5pm on Monday.

"We are locking out until the unions withdraw their extreme claim and reach agreement with us," Mr Joyce told a press conference on Saturday.

Mr Joyce said his hand had been tipped by the impossible demands of the three unions.

"They are trashing our strategy and our brand,'' he said.

"They are deliberately destabilising the company and there is no end in sight."

If the industrial action continued, Qantas would have no choice but to shut down its business "part by part", the chief executive said.

He believed the lockout and grounding of the fleet was the only effective avenue at his disposal to bring about a solution to the dispute.

Mr Joyce said he was sorry the course of action had become necessary but the ball was now in the unions' court.

"They must decide just how badly they want to hurt Qantas, their members ... and the travelling public," he said.

The airline will offer hotel accommodation and alternative flights to those who are mid-journey and can't get home when the grounding takes effect.

And there will be refunds and ticket transfers available to passengers whose flights are cancelled.

Qantas said it would keep passengers updated on the situation via its website, Facebook page and Twitter.

The airline said at 2pm on Saturday there were 64 aircraft in the air, 36 domestic and 28 international carrying more than 7000 passengers.

These aircraft will complete the sectors they are operating and will then be grounded.

In total 108 aircraft will be grounded in 22 airports around the world.

The airline says, 13,305 passengers are booked to travel on Qantas planes from overseas ports to Australia in the next 24 hours