Hundreds of jobs saved despite Brisbane losing Qantas HQ race

Hundreds of jobs have been saved and dozens more created despite Queensland losing the race to bring Qantas’ headquarters to Brisbane.

HUNDREDS of jobs have been saved and dozens more created despite Queensland losing the race to bring Qantas’ headquarters to Brisbane.

As first reported by The Courier-Mail, the national carrier has revealed it will keep its heavy maintenance facility in Brisbane, however, the state has failed to win thousands of the airline’s corporate jobs and its headquarters from Sydney.

Jetstar’s A320 heavy maintenance facility will be relocated from Singapore to Brisbane as part of a year-long trial, with the possibility of being extended.

Qantas remains in negotiations with the State Government about conducting additional maintenance on Qantas aircraft in Cairns.

The airline this morning announced the findings of its eight-month-long property portfolio review, which considered consolidating its Mascot Qantas and Melbourne Jetstar headquarters.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Qantas will keep its heavy maintenance facility at Brisbane Airport and expand its investment in Queensland, potentially in Cairns.

Sources close to negotiations are considering the outcome a “win” for Queensland, with about 750 maintenance jobs thought to be at risk of moving south following the airline’s property review.

The airline revealed it would keep its headquarters in Sydney despite the review.

Qantas is set to keep its maintenance facility in Brisbane after an eight-month review into its property portfolio. Picture: Sarah Matray

It is understood Queensland Government has negotiated incentives with the airline, however, Treasurer Cameron Dick and Qantas declined to comment.

The national carrier revealed in September it had launched a widespread review of its footprint to investigate consolidating properties into one city to cut costs.

However, the airline noted some aviation services, including simulators in Sydney and Melbourne and Brisbane Airport’s heavy maintenance facility, would be considered for relocation “particularly if there was an opportunity to bring some or all of these facilities together elsewhere within Australia”.

The announcement stoked fear among Queensland stakeholders, including former Premier Peter Beattie who called on Qantas to “be loyal to Queensland for past incentive packages” provided by his government.

“Loyalty should still mean something in this ugly world in which we live,” he said.

In October Mr Dick revealed the government, through the Queensland Investment Corporation, had agreed to a $200m, 10-year investment in the resurrected Virgin Australia.

He said taxpayers could expect a return of about 7 per cent, with the deal also securing Brisbane as the home of Virgin for a decade.

“Queensland is the home of aviation in Australia, and we are thrilled that our investment, a mix of equity and economic incentives, has helped to secure that into the future,” Mr Dick said last year.