AirportsZone: Asia/Pacific

Airports in Australia brace for impact as United Firefighter Union plan mass strike

By December 2, 2022 No Comments

Airports in Australia may face operational disruptions on December 9 2022 as the United Firefighters Union (UFU) – Aviation Branch is planning to go on strike. A total of 27 airports might feel the impact, not directly as it would not cause any flight cancellations but considering the operational safety and lack of functioning fire crew on site might cause some cancellations and delays.

The strike is over a longstanding disagreement regarding staffing levels and pay. The airport firefighters receive approximately $28,000 to $77,000 per annum. The Union has threatened to call for further strikes closer to the holiday period if their demands are not met.

Retired aviation fire commander Trevor Rodgers said: “A shortage of aviation firefighters at an incident could have catastrophic consequences for passengers on a burning aircraft. Aviation firefighters have just three minutes to reach a burning aircraft and make an intervention to save the passengers. After that three-minute period, the fire penetrates the cabin, and the chances of people surviving a major crash internal fire are greatly reduced.”

Wes Garrett, Branch Secretary said: “The understaffing of firefighters was dangerous and they had no choice but to undertake the stop work action. Every day the lives of 2500 air travelers across Australia are being put at risk because they do not have the protection, they need from understaffed aviation firefighters. Air travelers do not have the protection they need because Airservices cut 100 aviation firefighters from Australia’s airports to cut costs in October 2021. Now, every month over 600 flights are operating from Australia’s airports without the aviation firefighting protection they require under international aviation safety regulation.”

Meanwhile, Dominique Lamb, spokesperson for Airservices Australia said: “There is no shortage of aviation rescue firefighters in the Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service in Sydney or at any other location. We comply with all regulations that are frequently looked at by the regulator.”

As of now, Airports will remain open on December 9 but it will be up to individual airlines whether to fly. Qantas and Jetstar are planning to operate as usual with all airports planning to remain open despite increased risk factors.