Qantas will probably have to pull out of the trans-Tasman market with the loss of more than 320 jobs if it gives in to "misconceived" and "damaging" wage claims from its Australian pilots, the airline says.
The Australian national airline is locked in an increasingly acrimonious industrial dispute with its international pilots.
Qantas chief pilot Peter Wilson said agreeing to the pilots' demands was likely to lead to "the Qantas mainline brand exiting the Tasman Route, with the loss of some 103 pilot and 220 cabin crew jobs in Jetconnect".
Other Qantas services would also be at risk as the group increasingly relied on profitable budget airline Jetstar to support Qantas' loss-making international operations, he said.
Pilots are concerned about Qantas trying to cut costs and stem losses by setting up operations in other countries, including New Zealand, where labour is cheaper.
Pilots are demanding new job-security clauses be inserted into their contracts.
Qantas' Auckland-based subsidiary Jetconnect has been flying most of the Qantas services on the Tasman for about nine years using New Zealand pilots and cabin crew.
Australian and International Pilots Association spokesman Nathan Safe said earlier this week that having cheaper Kiwi pilots flying New Zealand-registered Qantas planes on the Tasman could undermine the airline's prized safety reputation.
Pilots had given Qantas till yesterday to "genuinely discuss our job security", Safe said.
The union was expected to apply to hold a secret ballot of members to authorise industrial action.
New Zealand Airline Pilots Association president Mark Ramell was not concerned about the possibility of the Qantas brand leaving the Tasman and New Zealand pilots losing their jobs.
Jetconnect pilots, however, were concerned about being portrayed as less skilled than the Australian counterparts.
New Zealand pilots were instead doing the same work for up to 30 per cent less pay, Ramell said.
The difference reflected the general wage gap between New Zealand and Australia.
"You can't say just because a pilot earns less than another pilot that they are not as safe.
" If they are going to make comments like that they really need to back it up with fact." Ramell said.
Pilots' job security push 'damaging' - business | Stuff.co.nz