Qantas to shift pilot training after battle with NSW

Qantas has scrapped plans to build a new $120m pilot training centre in Sydney after a compensation battle with the NSW government.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce with NSW Government minister Anthony Roberts and pilots at the flight simulator training centre in 2016.

Qantas has scrapped plans to build a new $120m pilot training centre in Sydney, after the New South Wales government refused to compensate the airline for putting a road through its existing 50-year-old facility.

Instead the airline will consider sites in Queensland and Victoria for flight simulator training for its more than 2000 pilots.

Qantas had begun work on the new centre at Mascot so it would be ready by the end of next year, when roadworks on the Sydney Gateway project partially demolished the current training base at Sydney Airport.

Although Sydney Airport was promised $170m compensation for the land taken for the roadway, Qantas was refused any funding.

The government had helped expedite the planning process for the new centre which was to house up to 14 flight simulators, ten static cockpit devices, an assembly hall and pool for crew water training.

Qantas International CEO Tino La Spina said the lack of external funding coupled with the financial impact of the COVID-19 crisis, meant that construction of the facility had been terminated.

“Prior to COVID-19, we were able to fund the ongoing construction of a new pilot training centre while we negotiated suitable compensation for having to leave our existing facilities,” Mr La Spina said.

“Now that funding has been declined, and the coronavirus has hit us hard, we are unable to continue funding the project on our own and have stopped construction.

“Unfortunately, this will have an impact on our builder, ADCO Construction, and their subcontractors. This is not a reflection of their great work on the project to date.”

Alternative sites in Queensland and Victoria were now being explored by Qantas to ensure the airline’s training capacity was maintained.

“We’ll be having conversations with state governments about this in coming weeks,” said Mr La Spina.

In a note to pilots, Qantas Domestic and Freight CEO Andrew David said he knew the decision to halt construction of the new Mascot facility was “disappointing”.

“Importantly the new training centre was not due to be operational until late-2021 so there’s no immediate impact on current training plans or our people,” Mr David wrote.

“We’ll be having ongoing discussions with our employees who work at the Flight Training Centre at the Jetbase about potential longer term impacts on their role.”

He said Qantas had “proudly trained” its pilots and cabin crew at the Sydney Jetbase for the past 50 years.

“Regardless of where our training is conducted, it will continue to be done to the high standard that we are renowned for,” said Mr David.

Qantas already has a pilot training academy at Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba, which was set up with assistance from the Queensland Government.

A second academy has been announced in Mackay in central Queensland but an opening date is yet to be confirmed.