North Queensland State Alliance accuses Qantas of high prices, delayed or cancelled flights

An organisation calling for a new North Queensland state has accused Qantas of “soaring to new lows” with high prices, poor service and delayed or cancelled flights.

North Queensland State Alliance president Henry Fracchia has accused Qantas Airlines of high prices, poor service and delayed or cancelled flights. Picture: Generic

A political organisation calling for a separate North Queensland state has accused Qantas Airways of “soaring to new lows” with high prices, poor service and delayed or cancelled flights.

North Queensland State Alliance president Henry Fracchia claims that Qantas standards under new CEO Vanessa Hudson were worse than those under previous CEO Alan Joyce, a period marked by “unexplained cancellations, delays and that general shambolic service”.

“Aside from the usual delays, high prices and poor service that Qantas delivered under Joycie, if currently you travel on the Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton milk run, you would have experienced an incredible level of cancelled services, and three to 24 hour delays,” he said.

Mr Fracchia, a Townsville-based engineer, said the NQSA had been approached a number of times to comment on the “deplorable behaviour by the national carrier” but felt it was a national, not just North Queensland, issue.

He said that had changed when the alliance had spoken to a Qantas whistleblower, a frontline employee fed up with “superheated customer blowback”.

North Queensland State Alliance president Henry Fracchia alleges there has been a deterioration in services under new CEO Vanessa Hudson, claims the national flag carrier deny. Picture: Supplied

Mr Fracchia said the whistleblower had levelled six claims against the national flag carrier, a number of which were rejected by Qantas.

Mr Fracchia said the claims included a lack of aircraft mechanics or engineers in Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton, Moranbah, Proserpine, Mount Isa or Hamilton Island, and that “pending sickness, rosters, leave, training, public holiday there is one Qantas mechanic in Townsville”.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson at the International Air Transport Association forum in Dubai in June. Picture: Natalia Mroz/IATA

He said that if a milk-run aircraft experienced even a minor fault such as a toilet malfunction in any of the above locations, the “aircraft is immediately retired, and the flight is cancelled”.

Mr Fracchia said any such “engineering issue” could only be rectified by a Qantas mechanic, who often had to be flown in on the next scheduled flight from Brisbane.

“Meanwhile, and done at the customers time expense, an alternative aircraft is sourced from Brisbane,” he said the whistleblower claimed.

“Sometimes meaning, some passengers will not make their destination until the next day.”

Townsville Airport. Qantas said that despite the North Queensland State Alliance’s whistleblower claims, it had specialist aircraft engineers in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton and Brisbane, with engineering teams available to travel throughout Queensland as required. Picture. Supplied

Qantas said that in the last four months in North Queensland, overall cancellation rates had been between 1 and 2 per cent, with national cancellation rates in the same period sitting at between 2.3 and 3.3 per cent.

It said on-time performance had been between 76 to 82 per cent, which was close to long-term industry averages.

The flag carrier said it had specialist aircraft engineers in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton and Brisbane, with engineering teams available to travel throughout Queensland as required.

Qantas said that when an engineering issue arose, it sought, wherever possible, an alternative aircraft or a delay to a service to allow time to resolve the issue.

“Services are only cancelled as a last resort.”

Qantas said new features introduced on its app included the ability to see when aircraft were landing, delays and estimated departure times.

Originally published as North Queensland State Alliance accuses Qantas of high prices, delayed or cancelled flights