This has to be one of Qantas' worst decisions. All PPRUNERs and fellow travellers are encouraged to let Alan Joyce know what they think.
From the Sydney Morning Herald
Qantas queried on taking jobs off disabled workers
ANDREW HEASLEY, AVIATION REPORTER
December 18, 2009
QANTAS contracted packaging work to cheap prison labour at the expense of a company that employs disabled people.
After a retendering process, Qantas contracted the work — sealing earphones in plastic bags — to the NSW Department of Corrective Services, rather than its long-time contractor, Sunnyfield, which employs disabled people.
"We undertook a review with all our [packaging] services in NSW," said a Qantas spokeswoman. "Sunnyfield was not successful in this process and the work went to Corrective Services."
The Federal Government's parliamentary secretary for disabilities, Bill Shorten, said he had made inquiries with Qantas over the matter.
The Corrections Department was now subcontracting the work back to Sunnyfield.
"I'm satisfied Qantas is doing everything it can for people with disabilities," Mr Shorten said.
News of the about-turn came on the day Mr Shorten met Jetstar over its treatment of disabled passengers, after complaints were publicised.
Paralympian Kurt Fearnley hauled himself on his hands through the terminal rather than use a Jetstar wheelchair that he could not wheel independently and a Melbourne blind couple, Kathryn Beaton and Glen Bracegirdle, were refused a booking to Sydney because of her guide dog.
Yesterday Mr Shorten and the disability discrimination commissioner Graeme Innes met Jetstar's chief executive, Bruce Buchanan, to discuss the airline's disability access practices, a meeting he described as "constructive", with more discussions to come.
The Federal Government outlined its commitment to air travel access for disabled people in its aviation industry blueprint released this week, with a caveat that it "recognises that meeting aviation safety, occupational health and safety and other legislative requirements can hinder the provision of equal access to air services".
The travel saga did not end for Ms Beaton, her guide dog, Prince, and her partner when they eventually made it to Sydney.
While there, she was told to leave a Chinese restaurant after they had just sat down, because the owner said that dogs weren't allowed inside.
She said she handed the restaurateur a Guide Dogs Access Card, which has printed on it the rights of blind people with guide dogs, but the owner handed it back and, in a hostile manner, said they had to leave.
She said the incident left her "incredibly upset".
She has reported the matter to Guide Dogs Victoria and NSW for investigation.