Melbourne lockdown: Qantas shuts freight as COVID-19 restrictions hit

Qantas has been forced to temporarily close its Melbourne freight operations after workers tested positive to COVID-19.

With passenger flights few and far between, freight-only flights have become increasingly important to airlines like Qantas in the current COVID crisis. Picture: Supplied

Qantas has been forced to temporarily close its Melbourne freight operations after three workers contracted COVID-19.

A contractor working in the security hut at the international freight terminal, and separately two employees at the domestic freight facility, tested positive to the disease.

A Qantas spokesman on Monday said in line with advice from the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), operations at the freight facilities had been paused.

“Unfortunately, due to the high number of community transmissions in Melbourne, it’s likely that large employers like Qantas will have employees who contract the virus,” the spokesman said.

“The Qantas medical team has undertaken contact tracing in line with protocols set out by health authorities. As a precaution a number of co-workers have been considered close contacts and are now also self-isolating.”

He said both facilities had undergone additional cleaning and Qantas was working with DHHS to resume freight operations as soon as possible.

“There is currently no known link between the two freight cases or the security contractor,” the spokesman said.

“At least one of the employees appears likely to have contracted the illness through a family member.”

The shutdown is the latest in a series of blows for the airline which was just in the process of ramping up domestic flights when cases in Victoria surged, prompting more state border closures.

Instead of returning to 45 per cent of domestic capacity, or 850 flights a week, Qantas is now operating at about 20 per cent of pre-COVID flights.

Transport Workers Union national secretary Michael Kaine said the Melbourne shutdown of Qantas domestic freight was a big test for the airline.

“Qantas must do everything necessary to take the threat at Melbourne airport seriously and to contain this virus,” Mr Kaine said.

Victorian branch secretary of the TWU John Berger said Qantas needed to ensure a cluster did not emerge from the COVID-19 cases.

“We want to see Qantas moving quickly to ensure any infected and exposed workers are allowed to self-isolate and get tested,” Mr Berger said.

“The airline must ensure information is given to workers on measures being put in place to make their workplace safe, including training on use of personal protective equipment (PPE), distribution of PPE and extra time for workers to use PPE and observe good hygiene.”

The Qantas spokesman said all employees at the site had been wearing masks and were required to socially distance.

“We have again reminded all employees not to come to work if they are sick,” he said.

“Any employee who does come to work feeling unwell in any way will be sent home.”

He said the TWU’s claims were “scaremongering” with Qantas moving immediately to ensure the sites were safe.