QantasLink to axe three hubs sparking uproar from unions and politicians

QantasLink, the regional carrier within the Qantas Group of airlines, has announced that it intends to press ahead with a controversial plan to close three of its regional bases. The move comes despite outcry from unions at the airline, which state the move will be detrimental to the airline’s staff and passengers.

The airline has said that pilot and cabin crew bases in Hobart (HBA), Canberra (CBR), and Mildura (MQL) will be wound down in April 2026. As reported by Australian Aviation, the closures will result in around 70 employees of QantasLink having to transfer to larger bases at Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), and Brisbane (BNE). The shutdown of the trio of bases follows an internal review of QantasLink’s current operations.

What the airline says about the decision

“Consolidating our crew bases so we have more of our pilots and cabin crew flying out of our major airports will enable us to deliver a more reliable service for our customers. This will help us better respond to disruptions and improve reliability across our regional network,” said QantasLink CEO Rachel Yangoyan.

“We have dozens of new aircraft joining the QantasLink fleet in the coming years, and this decision will help us provide customers with opportunities to fly to more destinations and benefit from more frequencies across our regional network. Importantly, relocating these jobs to other bases will not impact any of our flying into Canberra, Hobart, or Mildura,” Yangoyan added.

Ryan Fletcher / ShutterstockIt is reported that those staff members who will be affected by the closures will be offered a “comprehensive support package” to allow them either to commute to the larger QantasLink bases while remaining in their current homes, or to relocate to be closer to their new bases.

“We know the decision will be disappointing to our pilots and cabin crew in these bases, and we are putting in place a comprehensive package to support them in continuing to maintain their family and life in their home city,” said Yangoyan. “This will include support for things like flights and accommodation so they can commute to work.”

Unions object strongly to the cuts

Despite the comments from the airline itself, along with the details of the support and relocation packages, Australia’s Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) has publicly criticized the decisions to close the three bases. The union has gone so far as to publish the results of a survey (carried out alongside two other unions) that indicate 68% of workers who will be affected by the news would consider other employment if the closures went ahead as planned.

According to Australian Aviation, the union’s national assistant secretary, Emily McMillan, said the axing of the bases “will have life-changing effects on pilots and cabin crew who were told their jobs in these bases were safe, and who made significant decisions on that assurance. These crew are now in a position of having to choose between family and career because Qantas continues to put exorbitant profits over people,” she said.

PomInOz / Shutterstock“Qantas says it has changed, but this is the same old Qantas once again. It has afforded extra funding and transition time because of the impact it will have on affected employees’ lives, but it stops short of admitting that its decision is wrong. This is just another example of Qantas trying to plaster over a bad decision.

“Pilots, cabin crew, regional communities and our political leaders across the spectrum have urged Qantas to reconsider, but its decision to push ahead anyway is a mark of the disdain it still has towards its workforce and the Australian community,” added McMillan.

Even politicians are getting involved

With the closures set to proceed in April 2026, even local politicians have waded into the argument surrounding the decision to close the three bases. Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie, who represents those living in Hobart, has been particularly critical of the move. Wilkie has publicly voiced his frustration with both the decision to make the cuts and the airline itself.

“This is a terrible blow to the staff, many with families, who relocated to Hobart in good faith, have partners in local jobs, are building homes, and have their children in local schools. Passengers and freight service quality will inevitably be affected,” he said. “Turns out the Flying Kangaroo doesn’t regard Hobart as an Australian capital city, nor has it changed its HR culture since being found guilty of illegally sacking thousands of staff.”

Bidgee / Wikimedia CommonsEven Australia’s Transport Minister, Catherine King, has voiced her concerns over the matter, urging the airline to reconsider their proposal. “It’s not enough for Australia’s airlines to just fly in and out of regional communities; they should be a strong community partner and a reliable employer as well,” she said. King called on Qantas to commit to “no job losses and no reduction in services”.

In August 2025, Qantas was penalised AUD$90 million (US$59 million) for sacking and outsourcing more than 1800 ground staff in 2020.

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QantasLink to axe three hubs sparking uproar from unions and politicians

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