Qantas has agreed to a 25% pay rise for its long-haul international pilots, following the rejection of an earlier offer backed by the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) in April.
Pay Rise for Long-Haul International Pilots
The new agreement, Qantas Enterprise Agreement 11 (EA11), was approved by 61% of pilots across the AIPA and the Australian Federation of Airline Pilots (AFAP). It covers approximately 1,700 pilots operating Qantas’ long-haul flights, including the Boeing 787, Airbus A330 and A380.
Alongside increases to pay, EA11 introduces improvements to rostering, leave protections and schedule predictability. Pilots have secured three ‘golden leave days,’ which unions say are vital for improving work-life balance.
AIPA president Captain Andrew Marshall said:
“There are significant increases for the next generation of pilots which is particularly important because they’re often at the stage of life when they need some extra help.”
Previous Agreements For Long-Haul Pilots
The previous agreement, the Qantas Enterprise Agreement 10 (EA10) expired in April 2024. Pilots have been negotiating for a replacement deal since.
In April 2027, Qantas proposed a deal offering a 25% pay rise over four years, but this was rejected after 66% of pilots voted against it.
AFAP executive director Simon Lutton said:
“Despite the company pressure to vote yes, pilots have made it clear this deal does not meet the standard they expect and deserve.”
AFAP said the earlier proposal was rejected as pilots felt the pay increase did not justify the changes and concessions Qantas was asking them to accept. The revised EA11 aims reduces those concessions while increasing financial benefits.
Do you think that the pay rise is adequate in improving their work-life balance and is fair to compensate for the concessions they accept? Let us know in the comments!
