Qantas long-haul pilots yesterday voted to take protected industrial action against the airline for the first time in 45 years, as the company rejected union claims it was sending pilots' jobs offshore.
A Qantas spokesman said pilots' demands for more pay to operate Jetstar flights would make the discount carrier unviable, and push up fares.
The threat comes amid uncertainty over discount carrier Tiger's future at Avalon. Tiger flights have been grounded for the rest of the month while the the Civil Aviation Safety Authority investigates breaches of landing procedure at Melbourne and Avalon airports.
A preliminary report into the Avalon incident is expected tomorrow.
Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) vice-president Richard Woodward said yesterday pilots were asked to vote on forms of industrial action spanning from five-minute work stoppages to two-day stoppages.
Mr Woodward said the final strategy would be mapped out over the weekend. "It's up to us what action we will be taking over the next few days," he said.
The Pilot Association wants Qantas to give assurances on job security. It has cited concerns about the outsourcing and offshoring of pilot jobs at Qantas.
AIPA president Barry Jackson said the pilots had not taken industrial action since 1966 and he said the aim was to get a clause in an enterprise agreement guaranteeing Qantas pilots will fly Qantas long-haul flights.
A Qantas spokesman said the airline rejected AIPA's claims that it was planning to send jobs overseas.
"We completely reject the claims of offshore and outsourcing they (the union) made in their statement," a Qantas spokesman said. "And there's no suggestion we would."
The spokesman said a possible result of AIPA's demands was that the pilot costs on Jetstar A330 aircraft would be likely to increase by approximately 50 per cent.
"Paying Qantas pilot rates to pilots for our low cost carrier Jetstar would drive up ticket prices, make Jetstar unprofitable and set precedents for other staff salaries," the spokesman said.