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Chaos, court hearing in Qantas flight suspension
Australia`s government sought a court order to force the flagship carrier`s planes back in the air.
Canberra: Tens of thousands of stranded
Qantas Airways passengers worldwide scrambled to get to their
destinations Sunday after the airline abruptly grounded its
global fleet over a dispute with striking workers.
Australia`s government sought a court order to force the flagship carrier`s planes back in the air.
Australian officials expressed frustration over the sudden action by the world`s 10th-largest airline and asked an emergency arbitration hearing to order Qantas to fly in Australia`s economic interests. "It`s not our place to start allocating responsibility, but what I also know is there is a better way to resolve these matters ... than locking your customers out," Australian Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten told reporters ahead of the arbitration hearing in the southern city of Melbourne.
"We want more common sense than that." About 70,000 passengers fly Qantas each day, and they were stuck in airports around the world trying to make alternate arrangements after Qantas announced yesterday that it had grounded all flights until unions reach an agreement with the company.
Qantas already had reduced and rescheduled flights for weeks after union workers struck and refused to work overtime out of worries that a restructuring plan would move some of Qantas` 35,000 jobs overseas.
A court heard testimony today in an emergency arbitration hearing called by the government.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said the airline could be flying again within hours if the three arbitration judges rule to permanently terminate the grounding and the unions` strike action. The unions want the judges to rule for a suspension so that the strikes can be resumed if their negotiations with the airline fail.
PTI
Australia`s government sought a court order to force the flagship carrier`s planes back in the air.
Australian officials expressed frustration over the sudden action by the world`s 10th-largest airline and asked an emergency arbitration hearing to order Qantas to fly in Australia`s economic interests. "It`s not our place to start allocating responsibility, but what I also know is there is a better way to resolve these matters ... than locking your customers out," Australian Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten told reporters ahead of the arbitration hearing in the southern city of Melbourne.
"We want more common sense than that." About 70,000 passengers fly Qantas each day, and they were stuck in airports around the world trying to make alternate arrangements after Qantas announced yesterday that it had grounded all flights until unions reach an agreement with the company.
Qantas already had reduced and rescheduled flights for weeks after union workers struck and refused to work overtime out of worries that a restructuring plan would move some of Qantas` 35,000 jobs overseas.
A court heard testimony today in an emergency arbitration hearing called by the government.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said the airline could be flying again within hours if the three arbitration judges rule to permanently terminate the grounding and the unions` strike action. The unions want the judges to rule for a suspension so that the strikes can be resumed if their negotiations with the airline fail.
PTI