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STRIKE CHAOS: Jetstar Staff Set To Walk Out Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Jetstar is about to cause pandemonium to holiday travellers. Aside from a number of flights being delayed and cancelled today due to IT outages, staff will be striking this Friday, Saturday and Sunday with potentially more delays to come.

Jetstar is about to cause pandemonium to holiday travellers. Aside from a number of flights being delayed and cancelled today due to IT outages, staff will be striking this Friday, Saturday and Sunday with potentially more delays to come.

Ground staff and baggage handlers are set to walk out the job this Friday and Pilots will be taking strike action on Saturday and Sunday.

“YAY, FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS!”… said nobody ever.

READ: CHRISTMAS CHAOS: Jetstar Ground Crews Set To Strike

These strikes are the first of what’s expected to be an on-going wave of action over an increasingly ugly pay and conditions dispute.

The vote for industrial action was passed with a 94% approval rate, with strike action to cover some 250 staff across Sydney, Melbourne, Avalon, Brisbane, Cairns, and Adelaide airports over the next few weeks.

 

What’s happening on Friday?

Karryon - Jetstar Strikes

Ground staff and baggage handler stoppages will walk off the job at the following times around the country on Friday 12th December.

SYDNEY – 5:30 am to 07:30 am and again 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

MELBOURNE TULLAMARINE – 9:30 am to 11:30 am and again 4 pm to 6 pm.

MELBOURNE AVALON – 8:30 am to 10:30 am and again 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

BRISBANE – 6 am to 8 am and again from 6 pm to 8 pm.

CAIRNS – 5:30 am to 7:30 am and again 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

ADELAIDE – 6 am to 8 am and again from 6 pm to 8 pm.

 

What’s happening at the weekend?

Karryon - Jetstar Strikes

Customers remain in the dark about whether their flights will be cancelled or significantly delayed during pilots’ four-hour work stoppages this Saturday and Sunday, with the Qantas-owned budget carrier still figuring out how it will operate through the strike.

Jetstar will let customers know how services will be affected, once a decision has been made. This is expected by the end of tomorrow (Wednesday).

“There’s a lot of detailed work required to comb through the schedule and work out how we can best minimise the impact on customers,”

Jetstar spokeswoman

Qantas domestic pilots recently voted down a new wage agreement, and Qantas long-haul pilots are locked in negotiations.

Union pilots who fly Jetstar’s narrow-body aircraft, which are mostly used on domestic routes, will not operate flights out of their home base between 5 am to 9 am on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15.

International pilots will not operate Boeing 787 Dreamliners from their home base between 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm on Saturday or between 9.30 am and 1.30 pm on Sunday.

The pilots’ union has said it will not take any industrial action between December 20 and January 3, with the potential to resume strikes after that. Pilots have voted to approve the action, including stop works, of up to 24 hours.

“We remain ready, willing and able to negotiate an agreement which balances the needs of both Jetstar and the Jetstar pilots,”

Simon Lutton, AFAP executive director

Jetstar has said customers whose flights are cancelled or delayed by more than three hours will be put on another flight or offered a refund, and those stuck away from home overnight will be offered accommodation.

Customers due to fly between December 14 and 20 can move their flights forward at no extra cost and also request a refund.

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