Today's AIPA Media Release
‘Proud of our airline’: Qantas pilot in-flight announcements commence
Qantas pilots have today commenced brief and positive in-flight announcements as part of their campaign for a Qantas flight/Qantas pilot clause in their new agreement.
Although each pilot will personalise the message to some extent, the approximately 25 second announcement will be roughly as follows:
Ladies and gentlemen, this is (insert rank and name), together with (all participating crew) may I briefly have your attention.
On behalf of all Qantas pilots we would like to thank you for choosing to fly with Qantas. We are proud of our profession and our airline and trust you will support us in keeping Qantas pilots in Qantas aircraft and ensuring our great iconic airline remains uniquely Australian.
For more information and to register your support, please make your next destination qantaspilots.com.au.
Thank you.
Australian and International Pilots Association Vice President Richard Woodward, said the aim was to make passengers aware of why Qantas pilots are engaged in a dispute with management for the first time 45 years.
"The aim of the announcement is not to argue any point to passengers, it is to gently remind them that Qantas pilots are currently fighting to stay in the cockpit of Qantas flights,
"If they wish to find out more or support our campaign then they can visit our website, qantaspilots.com.au," Captain Woodward said.
"We’re not trying to ram any particular point home here, because when Qantas passengers find out what management is trying to do they typically decide for themselves that it is out of step with what they want from their airline."
"Quite simply, Qantas passengers do not want to see their Australian Qantas pilots replaced on Qantas flights with outsourced alternatives working to Asian conditions and standards.
"We hope that this action spreads awareness of what management is up to and puts pressure on them to reconsider."
Out of interest, is this brief message being used as a substitute for any other routine announcement made by pilots?